Adherence
by ToxiNeena
Summary: The bond between Natsu and Lucy is profound, undoubtedly the strongest, and the hardest to shatter. But, after one mistake made in the dark, and the interference of unforeseen forces, the two are being pushed together in a way they never knew…while simultaneously being torn apart.
1. The Prologue

_**Happy birthday to me! :) As a present to myself, I am hereby posting the very first chapter to my brand new and my very first Fairy Tail full-fic! I'm very excited to know what you think! So, as a little birthday present for me, be sure to leave a review and let me know if I should upload the other chapters at later dates! Thanks all and have fun reading!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o  
**_

_**The Prologue**_

* * *

This sucked, Lucy decided as she peered at herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was a mess, sticking up this way and that, her face was red and puffy, her eyes were watery and her nose was stuffed to the point that she, in order to not suffocate, needed to breathe through her mouth. It was official, Lucy Heartfilia was absolutely, positively sick as a dog.

"No," she moaned, sniffling. "Not today, any day but today…" Lucy leaned closer to the mirror, inspecting her swollen face with tender, cautious hands; she pressed against the small bags under her eyes. "I promised I'd be there…"

And promised, indeed she had. Today marked the long anticipated eighth anniversary of Bisca and Alzack's wedding, and Lucy had been oh, so looking forward to attending, as last year, due to certain circumstances, she had missed the party. But, afterwards she had assured the couple, and their adorable angel of a daughter, that she would absolutely make it this year, no matter the circumstances. With a determined scowl at her disturbing reflection, Lucy huffed and grabbed her makeup bag.

There was no way that this cold was going to get the better of her. Snatching her foundation, Lucy roughly unscrewed the lid and dabbed her finger in the pale liquid.

"Lu-chan?"

At the sound of Levy's voice in her apartment, Lucy stilled, gazing at her locked bathroom door. "Levy-chan?" Lucy called, sounding surprised. Afterwards, she felt that annoying scratch in her throat and she couldn't help but unleash a fit of ugly-sounding coughs.

"Lu-chan," Levy's voice was aghast, "are you alright? You sound awful!"

Lucy turned and glowered at her sickly reflection again, grumbling, "Because that's just what I wanted to hear from my best friend."

"Ah, sorry," the timid girl on the other side of the door apologized sheepishly. "But, you really don't sound okay…"

Inside the bathroom, staring intently at herself, Lucy rubbed on layers of her foundation, rubbing her puffy cheeks in circles. But it didn't seem to work, she noted, as she added yet another layer. "I'm fine, really I am."

But, when the word "fine" came out as "fibe", Lucy knew that Levy wouldn't be able to let the matter go. She grimaced.

"I don't think you are…I think you have that cold that's been going around all of Magnolia." Levy's voice was firm as she came to her conclusion. "Lu-chan, open the door," Levy said, knocking lightly.

Inside, Lucy huffed. "I don't have that cold…I may just be having an allergy attack." She pulled away after counting five layers of foundation; her skin seemed to be a somewhat normal color again. She smiled triumphantly, grabbing her powder and mascara.

Lucy heard Levy scoff. "In the middle of July? Lu-chan, just open the door." The tiny girl was knocking again.

"Who ever said that allergies were strictly a spring thing?" Lucy countered, ignoring her friend's request.

"Lu-chan, if you don't open the door – "

Lucy let one of her eyebrows rise in curiosity. Her best friend, the quiet Levy, the sweetheart, was attempting to make a threat? Really? Lucy glanced at the door, halting the process of her powdering for a brief moment.

And the thing that Lucy hadn't expected the most, happened. One second Lucy was standing there, staring at her perfectly intact door, and the next, she was jumping back as her once perfectly intact door collapsed inward, slamming noisily against the tiles in the bathroom. Lucy shrieked.

"My door!"

Oh, her landlady was _so_ going to kill her!

"Levy and I gave you fair warning, Lucy," Erza's strong voice berated.

Lucy felt herself freeze up, her joints locking. Oh, Mavis, if _Erza_ was here, that meant that Lucy had already lost the fight. But she looked up at the redhead angrily, coughing before shouting, "Erza, you can't just kick down my door! I have to pay for that!"

"You weren't going to open the door, so I had to create an opening," Erza simply replied, crossing her armor-plated forearms.

The blonde in the room squatted next to her dismantled door, staring at it with disdain. Great, just one more thing that she would have to fix later. She heaved a sigh, which, scratched her throat again, and induced another round of nasty coughs.

"Lu-chan," Levy murmured, sounding concerned. The bluenette let her firm stare fall into a worried look and she dashed inside the bathroom to Lucy's side, rubbing her friend on the back comfortingly. "You _do_ have the cold… Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Levy asked.

Lucy glanced from between Erza, who still had her arms crossed almost expectantly, and Levy, who was pinning her down with an extremely worried stare. Lucy groaned, sighing, and went to stand up. "I…I didn't want to miss their anniversary again," she admitted with a frown. "I missed it last year because of a mission, and I promised that I would be there this time…It's just a stupid cold, though, I can still go. I don't even feel all that bad."

Which, of course, was a lie. Lucy, in fact, felt simply _awful_. She couldn't breathe, her eyes were leaking, she was sore all over, her throat felt like she had mistakenly swallowed one of Natsu's main courses, and she had been coughing up phlegm for two hours. It was the mother of all colds. No wonder there was such a buzz about it in Magnolia.

"Children have been sent to the hospital because of that cold, Lucy," Erza reminded, her brown eyes hardening a considerable amount. "Going to the party in that condition, not only would it be a miserable experience for you, but you would also have the opportunity to infect other people in the guild. Like Asuka-chan." The combat expert unfolded her arms to place them on her metal-laced hips, much like a stern mother.

Lucy swallowed roughly, wincing as it grated her sore throat. Honestly, she hadn't even thought about what might happen to the others if she went. But, Erza was right, this was a nasty and highly contagious cold, so anyone she came into contact with would more than likely catch it. Including Asuka, who, because of her small stature, would have probably been hospitalized. Lucy felt herself grimacing at the image of the happy-go-lucky child confined to a sterile room. She would have hated herself for putting the girl in such a situation.

Erza was right.

"You're right, I wasn't thinking." Lucy went to sit on her bed, followed closely by Levy. "I just," she started as she plopped down on the plush comforter, "I feel guilty, not being able to go and all…especially since I had promised Asuka-chan."

"Lu-chan, I'm sure Asuka-chan would much rather you stay home and rest than force yourself to attend the party." Levy patted her friend on the shoulder reassuringly, her golden eyes shimmering with understanding.

"You're right, you're both right," Lucy hummed as she fell backwards onto her bed. She exhaled, burying her head in a soft pillow. "I'll stay home…"

Levy smiled with relief and Erza nodded.

"But, could you apologize to them for me?" Lucy asked with another long sniffle.

"Of course, Lu-chan, you just stay home and rest."

o0o

"Oi! Erza, where's Lucy?"

The two returning women, Levy and Erza, were greeted by a rather rambunctious and eager Natsu Dragneel rounding on them with an ecstatic grin lighting up his roguishly handsome face, Happy floating aimlessly nearby. The grin he wore let his sharp teeth poke through, and his green eyes sparkled with mischief. No doubt he was planning to play another prank on his best friend, Lucy.

"Natsu," Levy greeted with her own smile. "Um, actually, Lu-chan stayed home…she's not feeling very well."

Natsu grin fell into a frown. "She's sick?" he asked incredulously. His sudden enthusiasm was replaced with solemnity and Happy fluttered down to the ground, seeming equally distressed about the news. Natsu glanced at his cat out of the corner of his eyes before mumbling, "Let's go, Happy."

"Aye, sir!" the blue feline replied, saluting.

"Wait, Natsu." Erza's voice was commanding and chilling.

Natsu paused, an incredibly nervous look plastered across his features. He was going a bit pale as he stared at Erza, probably imagining the scolding she was about to give him. "Y-yes, Erza?" he squeaked.

The adept swordswoman pierced him with a stare. "Lucy is highly contagious, it would be foolish to visit her right now. She needs her rest, anyway, and you would only cause a disturbance."

Immediately, Natsu began to think of protests—something along the lines of, "I don't cause a disturbance!". Then he quickly reminded himself that this was Erza he was dealing with, the most stubborn, bull-headed and violent woman in all of Fairy Tail. Going against her wishes was the same as asking for death. He knew from experience.

Submissively, Natsu ducked his head, a pout forming on his childish face.

Next to Erza, the tiny solid script mage reached out and rested her small, petit hand on Natsu's bulking shoulder. "Sorry, Natsu," Levy apologized with a small smile. "Lu-chan felt really bad about not coming, but she needs her rest more than anything."

But he turned on his heel with another bright smile upon his face, mouth stretching and K-9's just barely poking his bottom lip. "We can just visit her tomorrow, isn't that right, Happy?"

Happy flew in a circle, holding out a paw. "Aye, sir!"

And the two strutted away, seemingly happy, without another care. Levy exhaled. It appeared as though Natsu had taken the news relatively well, but, then again, Natsu was usually very good at concealing his doubts and worries.

As his cat flew in circles at his shoulder, Natsu glumly sulked to the bar, a depressed frown taking over. Lucy wasn't coming. He had so been looking forward to seeing her, since he hadn't seen hide nor hair of her in the past few days. Being sick certainly explained it, though, Natsu thought worriedly, Lucy very rarely came down with anything. It was unusual for her to be sick, and the Lucy he knew wouldn't have let it stop her from attending the party she had seemed so excited for.

Natsu sank into an empty seat at the bar.

"Natsu," Happy sang, "I see Charle!"

The dragonslayer looked over his shoulder at his eager companion and grinned. "Go have fun!" he exclaimed.

The Exceed flew off, loudly asking Charle if she would like to go fishing with him.

Natsu sighed, watching the interaction between the two flying cats. Charle, though initially reserved, eventually agreed to the request, much to Happy's delight. Lucky cat, Natsu thought wryly.

"Missing Lucy, huh?"

Natsu jumped out of his skin. Cana laughed at his surprised face, swatting at his back reassuringly.

"Easy there," she chuckled.

Natsu exhaled. He hadn't even heard her approach, much less sit down directly next to him, which was slightly troubling in itself.

"Don't give yourself a heart attack." Cana smirked at him before reaching out to grab an incredibly large mug of ale. Faster than anyone could think to be possible, Cana had swung the drink up to her mouth and chugged nearly half of its contents. She slammed it down on the bar with a large exhale. "Nothing like a good drink."

Natsu blinked.

"Wanna try?" Cana asked suggestively, an elegant brow lifted.

Curiously, Natsu inhaled the scent of Cana drink and he promptly gagged. Never had he ever smelt anything so bitter, it made his lips curl. Spicy things were much more his taste, not bitter. "No," he snorted, shaking his head.

The drinker laughed, swinging her mug. "How about some firewhiskey, then?"

He fixed her with a contemplative stare. Firewhiskey? It sounded…spicy, like a firecracker. And Natsu _did_ like firecrackers, though Lucy had berated him countless times for trying to ingest them.

Cana noticed this look, of course, and smirked, before turning to the barmaid, Mirajane. "Hey, Mira, get this kid a glass of firewhiskey."

"Coming right up," Mira chirped.

"I didn't say I wanted any," Natsu said defensively as he crossed his arms. He glared at Cana.

She only snorted and waved away his glare. "I saw you thinking about it, besides, you're all depressed now that Lucy's not here, right? So drink all your problems away, it's what I do."

Before he could protest again, a large glass was slid in front of him. It was empty, he noticed. Pinning Mira with an analytical stare, his eyes were sharp and calculating and watching her every movement as she grabbed bottles of whiskey, rum and a package of cinnamon and matches. This piqued Natsu's interest. Matches. He leaned closer.

Mira poured cinnamon into his bare glass, and quickly followed it by dousing the cinnamon in whiskey. Afterwards, she dropped two large ice cubes inside and gave the glass a few good shakes to stir it. As she set it down on the countertop again, Mira filled the rest of the glass to the top with rum. Natsu's nose quickly picked up on the heady, spicy scent and he kept watching with anticipation.

Then, Mira removed a single match from the box and…set Natsu's drink on fire. Flames began licking their way along the top of the liquid, reaching high up into the air with disembodied fingers.

"Well, don't just sit there," Cana mused to Natsu's right, "drink it before the flames go out!"

Natsu blinked, startled, and then made a grab for the enflamed drink. He downed it without thinking and Cana slapped him on the back again, causing the dragonslayer to choke. But he dropped the glass back onto the countertop after feeling the burning sensation in the back of his throat. Natsu decided that like _liked_ firewhiskey.

"More!" he spluttered excitedly.

"Coming right up," Mira sang again happily.

Meanwhile, Levy watched from afar as Natsu gallantly drank glass after glass of firewhiskey. His raucous behavior insinuated that he enjoyed the exotic beverage, and was stopping at nothing to have just one more drink.

"That can't be good," she whispered to herself apprehensively.

Natsu had never been the type to _drink_, instead, he had always focused on _eating_ or _consuming_ anything flame or spice related.

"What's there to worry 'bout, Shrimp?" a gruff voice asked to her left. "Salamander's only getting drunk off his ass."

Levy turned to her companion, her amber eyes full of worry. "Exactly. Natsu doesn't drink, you know that, Gajeel."

"Just let him be…" the iron dragonslayer grumped as his studded brows tugged downwards over his narrowed eyes.

Levy was right, though, he knew. It was unusual for Natsu to consume anything alcoholic—actually, not just Natsu, it was unusual for any dragonslayer to consume something alcoholic in nature. With their keen abilities, dragonslayers were much more sensitive with their sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste; especially taste. And alcohol always had a bitter aftertaste that dragonslayers found hard to swallow. Gajeel frowned. Natsu was upset over something.

As if sensing her partner's thoughts on the subject, Levy twirled her cropped blue hair around her slim index finger and murmured, "I think it has to do with Lucy…"

Gajeel snorted. "Bunny girl?"

She nodded. "Erza-san and I told him that he couldn't visit her. He's probably upset." Levy kept watching the fire dragonslayer with a distressed tone to her body language. Gajeel didn't like seeing her so distraught.

"Then just tell him he can go visit her. Problem solved."

Levy looked at him over her small, shapely shoulder and sighed. "The last thing Lu-chan needs is Natsu breaking into her apartment…she'd go berserk." The solid script mage shuddered as she imagined her best friend clobbering a good one to Natsu and Happy, berating them severely about invasion of privacy and whatnot.

Gajeel regarded the fool at the bar once more, observing the way his hands flung themselves around and his head bobbed. "He's drunk," Gajeel muttered sourly, lips twisting into a disapproving snarl.

"He's _what?_" Levy cast her attention to the fire dragonslayer again, her mouth dropping open in shock. "Natsu…" she sighed. Levy rose from her seat, locating Erza just across the room, talking to Bisca and Asuka. "Erza-san!" she shouted.

The redhead looked up.

"Natsu is…" Levy simply pointed to the bar, a hopeless expression on her soft face.

Erza took once glance in the direction of Levy's hand and immediately recognized the situation. "Natsu," she hissed, her fists clenching at her sides. "Excuse me, Bisca," Erza muttered to the markswoman before stalking off in the direction of the bar. Her footsteps collided painfully with the wooden floorboards, and by the time she had reached Natsu's seat, he had turned himself around to smile at her.

"Hey there, Bearza…No. Wait, Erza, Erza's your name," Natsu mumbled drunkenly, his glazed eyes peering at her. Suddenly, though, he pursed his lips together, a small ripple of laughter coming from his mouth. "Bearza," he repeated. And then, he burst into uncontrollable laughter, slamming his hands down on the counter for support as he hunched over.

Erza had never considered herself a patient woman, so sitting there, watching her friend make a drunken fool of himself for more than thirty seconds impressed her. Normally, she would have apprehended him in five. But either way, Erza grabbed the dragonslayer harshly by the back of his collar and yanked him off of his stool and onto the floor.

"Go home," she commanded, brown eyes sparking.

"Yessir, Bearza, sir…ma'am." Natsu began laughing again.

No one was surprised when Erza threw her armored arm around his neck and placed the drunkard in a choke-hold. Unsympathetically, she dragged him to the door as he protested and kicked and whined like a child. Erza's thin patience had been put to its limit. She hated drunkards, and she hated jokesters. So when the two were combined—aka, Natsu—it was surprising that she had even given him a chance to speak in the first place.

But when she got to the large double doors, she paused and turned to Levy.

"Levy, have you contacted Lucy since we left?"

The small mage shook her head, chewing her bottom lip. "I tried calling from the phone in the back, but Lu-chan didn't pick up…I wonder if she's okay."

"She should be fine, but, just in case, we should check up on her tomorrow morning," Erza conceded, her grip around Natsu tightening.

"Yeah." Levy nodded. "I'll go."

Unbeknownst to the two, however, the drunk dragonslayer was paying acute attention to their conversation. Lucy. Sick. Needs to be checked upon. He could do it, he thought to himself hazily. He could go check on Lucy and make sure she was alright.

"Now, as for you, Natsu, go home and sober up." Erza threw open the doors and harshly tossed Natsu outside into the warm night. "I mean it," she said with narrowed eyes, "go home." And the doors closed.

Go to Lucy's home. Priority alpha in Natsu's brain. He needed to make sure Lucy was okay, that she hadn't, like, died or something. So, turning in the direction of where he thought her apartment was, Natsu stumbled along in the night, talking to himself.

"Can't go see Lucy…when she's sick," he muttered, glaring at the cobblestone street. "I'm gonna see her whether you want me to or not!" he shouted to the night sky.

And his march of determination continued. He wasn't sure when or how he reached her large apartment complex, but, somehow he had managed to arrive in one piece. Natsu didn't bother to be quiet when he yanked open the front door to the complex, or when he marched up the stairs to Lucy's quarters. Without knocking, he thrust open the door, stormed inside and called out, "Luuuucy, I'm home!"

He received no response.

Puzzled, the dragonslayer staggered around in the spacious apartment, searching for his friend. "Lucy," Natsu said aloud again. And again, he repeated her name as he entered the kitchen. Still, there was no response from the girl. So, he strode to her bedroom, the only other likely place she would be at this time of night. Again, Natsu didn't bother to knock first before entering and he tossed the door open.

Lucy's familiar scent bombarded his alert senses and he sighed, completely content. This was what he had missed. This smell of comfort. Seeking the source of the comfort, Natsu stalked over to the plush mattress on the left-hand side of the room. Lucy was there, under mountains of covers and sheets, and she was huffing and puffing in her sleep, sweat glazing her brow.

She smelled sickly, Natsu wearily noted, his dazed brain trying to think. He didn't think about it twice. Natsu crawled into her bed next to her. And he buried his sensitive nose in her fresh-smelling blonde locks. _Yes_, his mind whispered, this was what he had wanted. Lucy was okay.

"…Nng…too…hot…"

At the sound of her voice, Natsu perked. Too hot? He could fix that.

Natsu's fumbling hands reached for Lucy's clothes.

* * *

_**Well? What do you think? Please be sure to let me know in a review! I had such fun writing drunk!Natsu, I really did, so I hope you enjoyed it! What will happen next, some of you may - if you liked the story - be wondering? Well, the only way for you to find out is if I upload the next chapter, and I will only do so if I find that people like this story! So leave a review! Leave criticism as well, I'm always looking for ways to improve!**_

_**Love, Neena ~  
**_


	2. The Disturbance

_**Here we are! The second chapter! Thanks to all those who reviewed, I love reviews! So, please, review. I like praise and I like constructive criticism, so hit me with your best shot! Read and enjoy, my lovelies.  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Disturbance**_

* * *

Levy McGarden hadn't slept the night before. How could she have? Her best friend had come down with a terrible cold and hadn't picked up the phone the during the previous night to confirm that yes, she was still alive and breathing and that no, she hadn't died. So early in the morning, at just past seven, Levy had it in her mind that she needed to check up on Lucy. One could never be too careful, right?

The cold epidemic had been going on for at least a whole month in Magnolia, though cases had been declining as of late. But since Lucy had come down with it so suddenly, and so severely it seemed, Levy was worried. More than worried. Lucy hardly ever took sick days since she had a very healthy body and immune system.

It was a nice morning in July, the air was warm, but not too warm, and there was the lightest breeze for comfort. Birds sang and danced in the air while children, who weren't sickly, played outside with their toys. Such a normal, peaceful morning. So, when Levy—along with her self-appointed guardian, Gajeel—arrived at Lucy's apartment to find the front door ajar, something just didn't sit right in the smaller girl's gut. Something was…_off_ on the beautiful day.

Lucy had always been very particular about closing doors, especially at night. Not only to provide protection, but also so that no bugs or stray animals would creep inside. Because Levy knew that Lucy hated that more than anything—waking up in the morning only to find a bug infestation. Which was why it was strange.

She took a deep breath and fixed Gajeel, to her right, with a pleading look. "Gajeel…you stay here, okay? I'll be right back." Levy turned back to the half-opened door.

Gajeel frowned as she stepped closer to her friend's apartment, a bad feeling twisting in his gut as he watched her edge closer to the door. Something was...wrong. Not something glaringly obvious, but something subtle. Like, the scent of the place or something. Gajeel paused with a start. That was it; the scent. It was different. And he knew exactly why. "Oi, Shrimp, I don't think you want to go in there," he advised vaguely, dropping a meaty hand onto her small arm.

Levy looked back up at him, worry strewn across her face. "I have to, I have to check on Lu-chan," she insisted.

Gajeel drew back his hand reluctantly, not being able to resist the face she made that resembled a kicked puppy. "Alright," he muttered. And to himself, under his breath, he added, "Just don't come crying to me when you see something you didn't want to."

"What was that, Gajeel?" Levy piped curiously.

"Nuthin, Squirt, get going already."

She sent him a rather confused sort of look before shaking her head and knocking on the already open door. "Lu-chan?" she whispered, inching the toe of her right sandal inside the frame. When Lucy didn't reply, Levy stepped inside fully and shut the door behind her softly, but firmly.

"Lu-chan," she tried again a little more loudly.

Still, there was nothing. Not even a peep from the birds or the children outside.

It was around this time that Levy began to worry. Lucy was a very light sleeper, she always had been. She usually woke if someone opened her front door, even if it was just the tiniest or cracks. So, if she wasn't responding to Levy's voice, it meant that either A, she had gotten worse overnight and collapsed, or B, she had gotten better and gone for a jog. And Levy seriously doubted that it was the latter—Lucy hated jogging more than anything. Hurriedly, Levy ran to Lucy's bathroom to make sure that her friend hadn't fallen asleep in the tub.

Thankfully, the bathroom was clear—no body collapsed in a heap on the floor or lying carelessly in the tub. Levy sighed.

She smiled softly to herself, but, after quickly thinking, the smile turned into yet another worried frown. What if Lucy had fallen out of bed or something? And then she ran to Lucy's bedroom, her blood chilling.

Levy's heart skipped a beat when she rounded the hallway corner and saw that Lucy's bedroom door was flung wide open, revealing the cluttered floor. The solid script mage was positive that she and Erza had closed that door when they had left the night before, and again, if Lucy had left her room during the night, she would have closed the door as well due to her paranoia.

"Lu-chan?" Levy whispered from the edge of the doorframe.

Once again, receiving nothing but the whisper of wind from outside, Levy sucked in a deep breath and stepped inside Lucy's bedroom expecting the worst. But, she paused. What she hadn't expected to see was Lucy's clothes thrown carelessly over the floor, and over the furniture too—was that a sock on her lamp? Levy studied the garments on the carpet before kneeling down and plucking up what looked like a shirt.

It was black with yellow-gold trim around the edges, it was large and it was…Natsu's.

Levy gasped, throwing the article aside.

Natsu's clothes? Why on Earthland were _Natsu's_ clothes in _Lucy's_ bedroom? It made no sense…unless…

A sinking feeling in her stomach, Levy, against her better judgment, turned to Lucy's bed with her eyes clamped shut. She really didn't want to be right. She really, _really_ didn't want to be right. Because, if she were, well, things would get hectic, and fast.

Gulping, Levy peeked out of one eye, letting it travel to the undeniable figure of her best friend's bed in the corner of the room. And she came face to face with what she had feared. Natsu. Lucy. Together. In bed. Naked. Swallowing a shriek of surprise, Levy settled for covering her much too wide eyes with her much too small hands. But the image that she had seen would be forever planted in her brain.

The two were snuggled together, Lucy on one side, Natsu on the other, with Lucy resting her cheek on Natsu's prominent and very bare collar bone. The sheets were tangled around their two seemingly comfortable positions, twisting around their legs and waist to cover just a barely decent amount of skin.

"Go away!" she hissed to herself, mentally trying to shoo the image away. But, alas, the image would stay. Stumbling backwards, refusing to believe what she had just seen, Levy rushed out of the room with her hands still covering her eyes and yanked open the front door. She accidentally slammed it behind her on her way out, making her wince.

Gajeel was waiting for her outside where she had left him just moments before, the studs on the skin of his eyebrow rising up in question. "Well?" He took note of the tiny girl's flushed face; it was so red, he doubted tomato paste could even compare.

"I…I mean, Lu-chan…she…and Natsu…" Levy tried using her hands to illustrate, waving them this way and that, her fingers pointing and drawing imaginary lines, splaying in all directions. But she gave up with a groan and hung her head, appearing rather embarrassed. "They…" she gulped, blinking rapidly.

Gajeel gruffly sighed, snorting as he did so. "I figured as much," was all he said.

Levy peered up at him from underneath her eyelashes, a pretty blush still staining her soft cheeks like baby roses. "You…knew?"

"I guessed." Gajeel shrugged nonchalantly. Then, his lips curled back into a sneer. "I can smell him all over this place…there ain't an inch on this building that doesn't smell like him. It's disgusting," the iron dragonslayer spat.

Levy, again, gulped before daring a glance back at the apartment building that outwardly appeared as normal as ever. This was a bit of a game changer…and no doubt, Gajeel wouldn't be able to keep this new information to himself—nor would she.

o0o

It was hot. Really hot. Too hot. Lucy whimpered into her sheets, voicing her discomfort. Had her cold gotten worse? She was covered in sweat and since her skin was bare, it wasn't a comfortable feeling. There was something sticking to her body, too, like leather. Lucy stilled. Wait_, bare skin?_ She was positive that she had gone to bed fully clothed.

Forcefully, she tugged open her lead-heavy eyes…and found herself staring, not at her wall, but at what looked like skin. An Adam's apple, she thought it was. And it was moving, which meant that what she was looking at was breathing, which also meant that it was alive. Someone, or something, was _in her bed._

Before freaking out, Lucy reminded herself to breathe. Maybe she was just hallucinating? After all, she had heard that when in times of extreme stress, the brain would provide false images due to exertion. But as her chocolate gaze traveled lower, discovering a nipple and then very, very defined abs, she knew that the detail was just too great for it to be an hallucination. The scars on this mystery person's body, the way his stomach rippled with each breath, the taut, tanned skin. It had to be real.

There was someone in her bed. Naked. Which, decidedly, would not have been as bad if she hadn't been very naked herself.

And Lucy, deciding that she had been rational long enough, let out a pent-up screech of utter horror, effectively startling the person next to her. They grunted as Lucy shoved them away, letting out a low string of unrecognizable words from the back of their throat, sounding groggy and very displeased to have been woken up in such a fashion.

"Who are you?" she demanded, pushing again. The person rolled over and Lucy's cheek peeled away from the skin of this mystery person's collar bone, sounding like tearing paper. Again, she shoved them with frustration, and when she managed to push them onto their stomach, so that their back was shown, on then did Lucy vaguely—and out of the corner of her eye—take notice of the person's hair.

Electric, salmon pink.

"Pink hair?" she stuttered.

_No,_ she told herself. A lot of people had pink hair. Just like a lot of people had a red Fairy Tail guild stamp on their right shoulder. Just because this person had pink hair and a red stamp on their right shoulder didn't necessarily mean that they were…well, _Natsu,_ of all people. Because that would just be downright ridiculous.

But then, the person groaned and heaved themselves upwards, Lucy's pink comforter and sheets pooling around his waist, and he looked at her strangely with groggy green eyes. "Luce," his voice was a harsh croak, "what're you doing in my bed?"

Natsu. Natsu was naked and in her bed. This was bad.

Lucy screamed again, kicking at him this time, and gathered her sheets to hide her naked body. This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening, this _so wasn't happening!_ Natsu, of all people? Dear, sweet, Mavis…she was going to die of mortification.

"_Your_ bed? This is _my_ bed, you idiot!"

Natsu, appearing unbothered by the fact that he was very much naked, took a gander about the room. Pink walls, stuffed animals, pink sheets, frilly pillows. This definitely was not his room. It was Lucy's room. Why was he in Lucy's room?

"How did you even get here?" Lucy furiously seethed at him.

The dragonslayer squinted back at her, reaching up to scratch at the crown of his head, effectively ruffling his untidy hair. He yawned, replying, "Not sure…don't remember."

"How can you not remember?" Lucy glared at him, hugging her soft sheets closer to her bare chest. "Oh, you know what, it doesn't matter. Just get out. _Now_."

Queerly, he locked eyes with her, still very much tired and not fully aware of the situation. And he stood upright, abandoning the little coverage he had possessed.

"Actually," Lucy coughed, averting her eyes hurriedly as she received a view of Natsu's very tanned, and somehow very taut, backside. "Get dressed. _Then_ get out."

Haphazardly, Lucy watched through half-lidded eyes as her best friend stumbled about her room, gathering various sorts of clothing that belonged to him. His white trousers, his black waistcoat, his sandals, and his scarf—which was neatly folded on Lucy's nightstand for whatever reason. Silently, he dressed himself, with a small level of difficulty—his finger fumbling here and there with buttons and sashes—and staggered out of her room without so much as a word of departure.

Lucy fell back onto her bed with a huff.

What on Earthland had she _done?_

Concurrently, outside, Natsu frowned. He had been naked in Lucy's bed. Strange, he knew, because he didn't remember anything about the night before. Just something about a party, maybe, and possibly something about this spicy drink—though, he swore it was just a botched dream. But…if it weren't…did that mean that they had…done something? He honestly didn't remember much, just small snippets of sensation—like a heady, muggy smell that made his insides churn for whatever reason. But, whatever the case, he and Lucy had been naked, that much was for sure. And she had been more than surprised.

Natsu's mind was so unclear, so fuzzy about the night before. And he felt sluggish. Had he eaten anything strange? He knew that if he ingested strange dishes, a lot of the time it led to him being violently sick or other, rather unpleasant, side effects. Like the time he had eaten Etherion; for a week or so, his body had been a mess, trying to pull itself together after taking in something that clearly, had not meant to be eaten.

With these thoughts on his mind, Natsu trudged onto the guild, hoping that maybe someone would be able to give him answers about the night before; like where he was before he had been to Lucy's, what he had eaten, what time he had left, etc. And when he opened the double doors, he expected there to be lively discussions, and perhaps even a brawl or two, but, his nakama only began to mutely stare at him, as if assessing him. So, naturally, the dragonslayer began to wonder. Was something wrong? Did he forget to put on part of his clothes? Or were his sandals on the wrong feet? Natsu glanced over himself curiously. No, that wasn't it.

Just as he was about to ask why everyone was staring at him so intently, Macao and Wakaba came up from either side of him, slapped a hand on his shoulder, and laughed.

"Congratulations, kid!" they said together.

"What?" Natsu asked, blinking.

"We thought it would never happen," Macao sighed woefully, staring up at the ceiling.

"If you ask me, it's about time," Evergreen snootily said from a corner in the room.

"Seriously," someone else laughed.

Natsu stared at his guild mates. So he _had_ done something. But, from the looks of it, it didn't appear to be a _bad_ something. Which was good, right? Well, he thought so at least. Taking people's praise and congratulations, Natsu grinned. He would figure out what this commotion was all about later.

"Um, Natsu-san," a small, female voice caught Natsu's attention. Wendy Marvell, the smallest dragonslayer in the guild, was smiling up at him unabashedly, holding out a hand-made bouquet of daisies. "Congratulations." She breamed at him, handing over the small present.

Natsu accepted them happily. "Thanks, Wendy," he said.

"Natsu's a man!" Elfman shouted rowdily, both hulking arms held above his head in a show of manliness.

"Yeah!" Natsu pumped his own fist into the air.

Next to Gray, at a table, Juvia smiled. "Juvia no longer has a rival. Juvia is very happy!" the water mage exclaimed, hugging her beloved around the neck. He groaned, attempting to dislodge the woman hanging off of him.

The ice mage turned to his rival, a disgruntled look plastered on his face. "Just, take care of Lucy, alright?" he said lightly, still trying to throw Juvia off.

Natsu frowned, his head falling to the side. "Why wouldn't I take care of her?"

And for some reason, this single comment caused many of the women in the room to swoon with delight and excitedly chatter,

"Lucy's so lucky!"

"They're totally perfect together!"

"How cute!"

"I saw this coming on the very first day!"

Which, of course, only confused the already confused dragonslayer even further. Wasn't he supposed to take care of Lucy? As her friend? Her _nakama?_ Wasn't that his responsibility? He didn't understand the sudden, new-found joy in his willingness to protect his comrade, but, then again, Natsu reasoned that there were many things in this world that he didn't understand. Lucy being a prime example.

"Smitten already, eh?" Wakaba called out with a laugh after taking a long draw from his cigar. "Don't worry, that fades fast, within a year or two."

And this comment made most of the men break into sudden rounds of laughter. Which Natsu also didn't understand. Smitten? Smitten with what? And what did "smitten" even mean? Was it some sort of special attack? A weapon maybe? Strange.

Finally, Natsu decided to ask what the big deal was about. However, just before he could do so, he was interrupted by Macao tapping him on the shoulder, a mug of ale in his other hand.

"Ahem," the older man cleared his throat and everyone in the guild quieted in response. "I propose a toast! To Natsu and Lucy!" he cheered loudly, thrusting his mug up into the air.

"To Natsu and Lucy!" the entire guild echoed.

"To me and Luce?" Natsu mumbled, watching owlishly as the many members of the guild who possessed alcohol took long, celebratory swigs and exchanged smiles. "A toast for us?"

Macao rubbed Natsu on the top of his head affectionately, chuckling lowly at the same time. "Now, come on, don't sound so surprised. Everyone's been waiting for this to happen, let's celebrate!"

"The time for celebration is later," a chilly voice stated.

Natsu shivered as Erza approached, a highly displeased aura about her person as her arms were crossed and her eyes were narrowed at him. She stopped just inches from his face before saying, "Natsu, I need to speak with you. Now." She grabbed his ear, much like a mother would to her son, before dragging him away.

The dragonslayer winced with every step. "Ow!" he shouted when she twisted his cartilage.

After leading him to one of the back rooms, Erza released Natsu's now sore and red ear and locked the door behind her. Natsu gulped. This couldn't be good.

"Natsu, how dare you," she said rather venomously. "I know I told you better than that." Erza flicked a long lock of crimson colored hair over her shoulder and re-crossed her arms.

"Told me better than what?" Natsu whined to her pitifully.

Erza's face grew red—from embarrassment, or from anger, Natsu didn't know. "You…you…you have no right to act like you haven't done anything wrong!" she shouted at him, pointing a finger. "You were supposed to wait! You're doing it backwards and it's highly demoralizing." The swordswoman took a deep and much needed breath as she attempted to calm herself.

Natsu shrank back. Erza was only getting started.

"You know what you did was wrong," she slowly told him, eyeing his every movement like a hawk. "Morals are a very important part of life, Natsu, and if you can't have moral values, then you can't truly become an adult. And I don't think Lucy will appreciate that, will she?"

Natsu paused with uncertainty. What was Erza going on about? Morals? And Lucy?

"Will she?" Erza repeated more articulately when he didn't answer right away. One other thing she hated more than drunkards and liars: hesitators. They were almost no different from procrastinators.

"No!" Natsu shouted on impulse, feeling it to be the correct answer. Thankfully, it did seem to be right, as Erza, her eyes closing slowly, cooled down with a large exhale.

"Good, now, I want you to go and apologize to Lucy for doing things in such a backwards manner. And then, I want you to do it the right way. Do you understand?" Erza asked expectantly, her burgundy eyes flashing open, their depths sparking with lightning. Her order was absolute.

"Yes ma'am!" Natsu saluted her, his spine stiff. As long as Erza wasn't angry with him any longer, then he was safe. "But, Erza, can I ask a question?"

The redhead regarded him carefully, seeming to debate this question internally as she pursed her lips together, running her tongue along the inside seem of her teeth. "Fine," she accented.

"What exactly did I do wrong? Why is everyone congratulating me? Why did Macao make a toast to me and Lucy?"

For the first time in his life, Natsu watched as Erza slowly froze, her expression unreadable but still stunned at the same time. She didn't answer him for the longest time, and he didn't know if it was out of shock, or if it was because she simply refused. Either seemed plausible. But then, she locked gazes with him, and her brown eyes seemed so lost, so confused that it actually threw him for a loop, figuratively.

Erza was never baffled or confused by anything; it just didn't happen.

"Natsu…" her voice was hushed, "didn't you take Lucy as your mate?"

* * *

_**Aha! So now the whole guild knows! But what will happen next? Will Lucy deny the inevitable? What will be the consequences? In order to know, you'll have to review!**_


	3. The Line

_**Thank you to all of you who have reviewed! It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy the next installment of Adherence!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Line**_

* * *

Lucy stared up at her ceiling blankly. What had she done? She and Natsu had just crossed the line between friends and lovers, and, well, there was no going back. Ever. Mavis, she had just wrecked her entire team relation. Now, she wouldn't ever be able to look at Natsu the same way. She just couldn't believe that she and Natsu…had _slept together._ The thought was practically taboo in Lucy's mind. Her and Natsu? _Together?_ It just sounded…weird. But, thankfully, there was some comfort in this disaster. Or, Lucy really hoped there was, because, if not, the rest of her life was doomed.

This morning, if Lucy dared to remember it, Natsu seemed to have had…memory lag, or something like that. He had definitely been disoriented, that was for sure, but Lucy didn't know if he actually remembered what had happened. She really hoped he didn't.

And now that Lucy thought about it, even she didn't really remember the…physicality of the night before. Lucy sat up with a sudden idea. Did that mean that, despite the compromising position they had found themselves in this morning, they hadn't actually slept together?

Lucy searched her mind frantically, willing for this to be true. She really couldn't remember, and since neither did Natsu, that meant that it hadn't actually happened!

"Oh, thank Mavis," Lucy moaned into her pillow, which smelled like Natsu, she noted, as she collapsed back onto her bed. Crisis averted. "I need a shower," she mumbled, hugging the pillow close to her body. After all that panicking, Lucy had worked up a sweat. Because, yes, Lucy was the type who sweated when she was nervous. That, and, she, along with the pillow and her bed spread, now smelled like Natsu Dragneel.

She was still naked, she realized with an embarrassed blush. After Natsu had left, Lucy had sunk into something of a catatonic state, staring blankly at her walls and at the ceiling. She hadn't been able to move because she was so in shock, much less change. So now, as Lucy sat upright, she stretched with a smile, feeling completely carefree—and hey, it seemed as if her cold had vanished to boot! She stood, not caring that the covers fell from her bare skin, and went to take the first step towards the bathroom.

A sore pain rocketed through her abdomen and she flinched.

"What?" Lucy mumbled, looking down at herself. She was sore? All throughout her upper thighs and into her pelvic area were mysteriously sore, and they ached with each step. It was strange. Her body shouldn't have been sore.

Unless they really had slept together, in which case, it made sense. Lucy was not a virgin, but she also hadn't slept with anyone for quite some time. So if she and Natsu had indeed done the nasty, then her body would rightfully be achy from her waist down.

Lucy gulped.

"It's alright, it doesn't mean anything," she told herself calmly as she walked to the bathroom, stepping over the collapsed door. "I could have just slept funny, that's all." She started running the hot water, her hands shaking. "Because Natsu was hogging my entire bed."

Lucy stepped into her shower, wincing when she had to lift her leg up and over the side of the tub. She needed to just forget about the night before. No one knew about it except for her and Natsu, and that was how it would stay until the two of them went to their graves. She just needed to scrub away any evidence and then, it would just disappear. The problem would have never happened, and it wouldn't be spoken of ever again.

Lucy nodded to herself, completely confident in this. "It never happened," she muttered as she reached down to grab her shampoo. Never happened. Ever. "And if he asks, I'll just tell him that he was my hot water bottle for the night."

With hot water cascading down her back and her shoulders, Lucy felt liberated. As if her worries were being washed away with the water. It was a nice analogy to think about. Lucy's fingers worked expertly through her thick, blonde hair, scrubbing it with her satin scented shampoo and digging it well into her scalp like a massage. She let the water wash the suds away as she went for her soap. Like usual, Lucy started soaping down the top of her body first with the thick bar. This included her chest. But as she ghosted over the top of her left breast, she noticed something.

Well, actually, two somethings. What looked like two tiny indentations along the skin of her breast. Lucy paused, half-curious, and inspected the mark a little closer, using her finger to stretch the elastic skin of her chest. The two marks, upon closer inspection, revealed even more marks in between them in a relatively crescent moon shape.

Lucy felt the shower turn ice cold along her back when she realized that she was staring at teeth marks.

There were teeth marks on her chest. _Teeth marks_. How had she not noticed that earlier? They were so glaringly obvious right now, but, Lucy wasn't sure if that was simply because it was actually obvious, or rather because she knew it was there, therefore making it obvious. Either way, the stupid teeth marks were obvious, and they pointed to a fact that Lucy, oh, so badly, wanted to ignore.

She and Natsu really had slept together. The aches along her body and the bite mark only went to prove it.

The rest of the shower was a blur.

As she stepped out, blearily noticing the pain in her pelvic area again, Lucy cocooned herself in a fluffy white towel, wrapping it around her body so tightly that she thought she would burst. She stared at herself in the foggy mirror, using a damp hand to wipe it down. Lucy chewed her lip. She didn't look any different than before. Her soggy, wet hair was still the same, her pale skin was still the same, her large, doe eyes were still the same. And yet, with nothing changed, never had she felt so different before.

She and Natsu had crossed the invisible line. Nothing would ever be the same, would it?

She blinked at herself, feeling a rush of oncoming tears. Lucy Heartfilia, the beautiful, confident, once-heiress was…scared. Not of Natsu, but of change. She and Natsu had painstakingly built one of the strongest friendships throughout the years, and now, because of one stupid mistake they had both committed, all of it would change. For better or for worse. And Lucy knew that with this sort of situation, it hardly ever ended well.

When she had been younger, when her father had still been alive and she had been living with him, she attended a private academy for the elite. And her best friend at the time, Rena, a girl with short brown curls and big blue eyes, had also been very good friends with a boy named Archimedes, a scholar and the school's valedictorian. The two had grown up together, they'd known each other since they were in diapers. And many people, including Lucy herself, had told them at one point or another, that they made a cute couple. So, Rena had confronted him about this and confessed that she would have liked to take their relationship further. And he had turned her down. Not only that, but he had started to avoid her, and it had destroyed Rena.

Lucy didn't want that. She really didn't want that. She was terrified of having that happen. She treasured the bond that she and Natsu shared. She wouldn't risk altering or breaking that bond over something like this. But in order to protect that bond, she had to go and set things straight with him, once and for all.

After…she cleaned her bedroom sheets.

Lucy grimaced. There was no way she was leaving any evidence of the night before. She looked at her reflection once more, regarding each and every detail. It would be okay. This small happening wouldn't change who she was, or how she thought of Natsu—she already loved him dearly. "Smile, Lucy," she told herself, pulling on a grin. "Everything's going to be alright."

Feeling much better, but still slightly numb to the world, Lucy dressed herself in her most comfortable clothes—ones which she made sure had fair breast coverage in order to hide that embarrassing bite mark. She brushed her hair, pulling it into two small pigtails that hung low, and decorated her face with makeup and lip-gloss. She looked radiant, if she did say so herself. She looked as if it were just another, peaceful day in Magnolia without a hitch in the road.

Humming to herself, Lucy forcefully gathered her blankets and sheets, trying hard not to imagine just what had taken place on said sheets, and dragged them to her laundry machine. It would take a while to wash the whole load, but, it was better than sleeping on a bed of questionable sanitization. And while she was at it, Lucy decided that she might as well clean. She had to pick up all the scattered clothes on the floor anyway.

And that was how Lucy spent the most of her morning, cleaning and humming and sometimes even singing. Pretending that nothing was wrong and that this was just another normal day. She dusted, vacuumed and polished; she even organized her bookshelf and cleaned off her writing desk. Her bed was made again, her laundry finished, dried and folded. And still, Lucy kept walking around her apartment, tiding and fixing portraits on her wall.

She…was procrastinating, she realized after a while. She knew what she had to do, and that was go find Natsu and confront him about the previous night. However, the more she thought about doing it, the more this twisted feeling in her gut decided to make itself known. Lucy sighed as her fingers danced over a picture of her and Natsu together with Happy and the rest of the team. She had to tell him the truth.

But she simply couldn't. Not for her pride's sake, but for the sake of their friendship. And friendship was the most important thing of all, wasn't it? Lucy thought so. It was what Natsu and Fairy Tail preached every chance they had. Friendship came before anything else, and so, Lucy decided that she would do anything, go any length, in order to protect that friendship. It was what Natsu would do.

Still. She had to at least go to him and assure him that nothing had happened. For the sake of their friendship.

Reluctantly, Lucy put the broom back in its closet, as well as the duster and the vacuum. Her house was cleaner than it had ever been, with every possible trace of Natsu sucked clean. An apprehensive smile on her face, Lucy left her apartment and locked the door behind her. Time to do what she had been putting off.

The walk to the guild was slow, and Lucy took her time memorizing each detail as she walked—the way a bird flapped its wings, the kid across the street threw his ball, the dog in the next yard as it barked profusely. But, still, much too soon for her liking, she was staring at the intimidating doors of Fairy Tail, wanting nothing more than to turn tail and run all the way back home to her apartment.

"No," she told herself firmly, scowling at the door. "I have to do this. For my sake, and for Natsu's."

And she pushed them open with a huff. She expected the loud, rowdy sounds of her friends, but what she received was raw silence. Lucy blinked dumbly at the mess hall and bar, seeing that yes, everyone was present, and that, no, they weren't making a sound—for once in their lives. She gulped. Was something wrong?

"Hey, guys…" she greeted awkwardly, waving at them.

Her guild only stared at her speculatively, and then, for some reason, they all began to show full-toothed smiles. Cana, at the bar, held up her drink, winking at the celestial mage. "Let's hear it for Lucy!" she shouted like a triumphant war-cry.

Startled, Lucy shrank back.

"Lucy! Congratulations!" Fairy Tail suddenly chorused at her.

"Congratulations? For what?" Lucy whispered to herself, watching wearily as her entire guild proceeded to drink and laugh and then drink some more.

The sultry Cana rose from her barstool, a smug grin plastered on her face. "Three cheers for Lucy and Natsu!" the brunette hollered.

"Banzai!"

Lucy blinked. Her…and Natsu? Had…had the rest of the guild found out? _They knew?_ Already? Oh, no. Oh, no, no, _no._

"Banzai!"

Dear, sweet, Mavis. She was going to die. Actually, she was going to kill Natsu. Then she was going to die.

"Banzai!"

"Wait!" Lucy commanded, her expression clearly anxious. "Where's…Natsu?"

She needed to talk with him and tell him that, no, they did not sleep together. And that, since he had obviously been the one to blab to everybody, he had to go and tell them that he had made a very embarrassing mistake. This was so not going to happen, not on her watch.

Stalking over to Lucy's side, Cana swung an arm around the blonde's shoulders with an amused laugh. "Oh," she chuckled, "don't worry. Natsu's just having a little _chat_ with Erza right now. Though, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Natsu mysteriously vanishes afterwards. You know how Erza is, a stickler for morals." The heavy-drinker sighed dramatically, then added, "Don't worry, I'll protect you from her wrath."

Lucy swallowed a lump. She hadn't even thought about Erza. Oh, what Erza would do to her if given the chance…The blonde shuddered. It would be alright, though, because she would clear up this misunderstanding, her relationship with Natsu would remain out of harm's way, and she would avoid Erza's wrath. Piece of cake.

"Oh…okay," was all Lucy could say. She wrung her hands, anxious for Natsu to return.

Cana glanced at her friend, taking note of the girl's nervous twitches and fiddling fingers. "You know, they _have_ been in the back room for a while now…I wonder what's taking them so long…" she mused, casting a glance towards the door to the back room.

And, as if on cue, the door opened slowly. Everyone, despite what they may or may not have been doing at the time, quieted instantly as a male figure, Natsu, trudged into the light of the mess hall. He looked pale, hollow eyed, and deep in thought…worried, even. As Erza followed behind him, she too was slow in moving, and shut the door behind her softly, sending the fire dragonslayer quick, seemingly unnoticeable glances. Something was wrong. Natsu was dead on his feet, staring into nothing.

Lucy, standing just a few feet behind him, felt the things called butterflies in her stomach and instantly felt nauseous. She didn't want do it, to confront him…it made her so nervous, so scared to do so. But, she thought with hard determination, she had to do it. "Natsu…" Lucy said after mustering up what was left of her courage.

The dragonslayer jumped, his skin prickling at her voice. He hadn't even noticed her before, hadn't noticed that her very recognizable scent permeated the air like thick perfume. She was _here_. He turned to her with wide, horrified eyes, his mouth hanging open. What had he done to her? He had _taken away her freedom…_

"Luce, did I…" He paused to lick his lips and clear his throat. "Did you and I…" He stopped again with a shake of his head. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

Someone interrupted by clearing their throat; Macao, Lucy noted after taking a small glance in his direction. He cracked a grin, scratching his stubbly chin and upper lip. "Now that they're both here, let's have one more round of applause for Natsu and Lucy! May their future together be bright!"

Those words stabbed through Lucy like a knife, or one of Gajeel razor sharp saws. She couldn't take it anymore, the false praise, Natsu's helpless look, her own guilt and fear. She couldn't handle all of it anymore, she just couldn't. So, as the guild, once again burst into cheers and laughter and applause, Lucy held up a hand.

"Wait!" she commanded.

Everyone stilled, their faces clearly perplexed.

Lucy inhaled deeply, preparing for a speech she hadn't known she was going to give. She swallowed another hard lump in her throat and twisted her hands together nervously. "Despite…what you may think," she started hesitantly, "or have been led to believe…Natsu and I did not…we didn't…" Lucy broke off, her face flushing a bright tomato red. She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"You didn't mate," Erza concluded swiftly, her voice belying deep concern.

"No," Lucy coughed awkwardly, "we didn't. As some of you may know, the other day, I came down with the cold that has been going around."

There were some nods at this, an occasional murmur here and there.

"And last night, Natsu, feeling worried about my wellbeing, came to my apartment. He saw that I was struggling with the virus, and, he asked what he could do to help me…so I told him that the only way for me to be able to get over this cold quickly, was if I were to sweat it out." Lucy paused again, adding to the effect. She was making this up as she went along, and, inwardly, she hoped that it sounded convincing. "So, Natsu climbed into bed with me because of his high body temperature. That's it, that's all that happened."

Natsu, who had been standing as still and as silent as a stone statue finally found his voice, though it was gravelly and uncertain. "But…Luce, this morning, you and I were both…undressed."

Lucy wrung her hands together again. He was staring at her, pathetically, as if he was trying to believe what she was saying, but, couldn't bring himself to admit it. "In the middle of the night, I woke you up because my clothes were sticky…you helped me undress before undressing yourself and then said direct body heat would be better anyway. You promised that you wouldn't touch me… Don't you remember?" she finished softly.

Natsu made this rather strange face, as if he had choked on something unpleasant. "Actually, Luce, I don't remember much of anything…" he admitted, looking down at his sandaled feet.

A hush fell over the guild again. None of them had been expecting this development.

It was Cana who finally spoke a few minutes later, a reasoning tone to her voice. "Well, you know, Natsu, you were pretty drunk last night…it's probably just the alcohol messing with your brain." She took a swig from her mug.

"This is true," Erza interjected thoughtfully.

"So," Natsu began, color coming back to his face. "Lucy and I didn't mate?"

"No," Lucy said, feeling confident, and also at the same time feeling a twinge of something else as his relief became apparent. "No, Natsu, we didn't."

And Natsu's color completely restored. He grinned toothily at her, and just that one look seemed to light up the entire room as people began laughing again. "Phew," he sighed, wiping a hand across his forehead. "Thank Mavis that was a false alarm, huh, Luce?"

He had almost taken her freedom away, her freedom to choose who she wanted to be with. And that wouldn't have sat right with him, Natsu knew. He wouldn't have been able to forgive himself.

Lucy only smiled back at him, having to force it. "Yeah…it would have just made everything complicated, wouldn't it?"

"Yup," Natsu chimed. He sauntered over and gave Lucy a lighthearted tap on the shoulder. "But it didn't happen, and I'm glad, because we're best friends!"

"Yeah…best friends," Lucy repeated.

Never had such a small, cheery sentence made her feel so sad.

* * *

_**Poor Lucy, ne? But, my friends, this is only the beginning...the story won't even take flight with its true plot till much later! What is that plot, you may ask? Well...there's a small hint in the summary, but other than that, I won't tell you. You'll have to wait and find out! So, be sure to review; they encourage me to write!**_


	4. The Secret

_**Hey guys! So Sorry that this took longer to update than usual. With hurricane Sandy, it made it hard to do any work considering that I had no power for about a week /: So, hopefully, you guys won't mind too much! Anyway, you might have noticed that I've changed the title... Well, I thought the previous one was a bit too long and that a simple, one-worded title was a much better means of attraction :) Once again, I hope you don't mind that too much! Ahem. Enough of my ranting now! And enjoy the chapter!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Secret**_

* * *

"Ya'know, Shorty, Bunny-girl denied it today," the iron dragonslayer muttered lowly to his bookworm of a partner. He was sitting at a table, heavy legs propped up on the tabletop with his thick, studded arms folded menacingly across his chest. Gajeel Redfox was an intimidating man on any normal day, but now, he looked downright frightening—as if he would challenge anyone unfortunate enough to fall under his gaze.

By his side, an overgrown encyclopedia on her tiny lap, Levy sat, her fingers drumming on the cover. She huffed, blinking up at him from underneath her eyelashes again, and then fiddled with her custom made headband. "I know, Gajeel…and I'm worried about her… That's not the sort of thing she can keep a secret from Natsu."

He snorted, rocking back in his wooden chair which squealed from the pressure. "Damn straight." Being mated was no joke, and Gajeel didn't know if the Bunny-girl seriously understood that fact. Once done, it could never be undone, like an irreversible curse.

"I…" Levy started very hesitantly. She looked back at him, her button nose wrinkled, her lips pulled into a thinned line, and her blue eyebrows drawn together out of worry. "Should I go talk to her about it? I mean…this is _serious_, Gajeel, and I don't want Lu-chan, or Natsu, to wind up getting hurt."

Gajeel regarded the small mage carefully, and he, for once, selected his response beforehand and thought it over studiously before actually saying it aloud. He grunted, looking up. "Ye're her friend, ain'tcha?"

The solid script mage smiled softly. "Yeah, I am."

"Then go do that pansy-ass friend stuff ya do…" he grumped awkwardly, refusing to make eye contact.

Levy smiled brightly, like a miniature sun, and threw her arms around Gajeel's meaty neck as she jumped up from her seat. "I will," she said determinedly, a twinkle in her eyes. "Thanks, Gajeel. You give the best advice."

The dragonslayer snorted, pushing away her arms. "What damn advice? Just get goin." He watched as she tossed her book onto the table, dusted off her skirt, and ran for the exit, her blue hair bouncing with each step.

After the little episode earlier in the day, the "misunderstanding" between Salamander and Bunny-girl having been cleared, Bunny-girl had headed back to her apartment early, saying that she needed to take a nap. Gajeel snorted at this. Who did she think she was fooling? Everybody else except for him, that was who. Man, the people in this guild were so incredibly dense sometimes. But, then again, they also didn't have enhanced senses and had to rely solely on the word of mouth.

Bunny-girl had been upset about something. Now, about that something, Gajeel had no idea. She wanted to lie and make it known that she and the Salamander hadn't mated, and she had accomplished that goal. So why on Earthland was she upset, Gajeel wondered to himself, brooding. She had gotten what she wanted, hadn't she? Mission accomplished, Bunny-girl. She was infuriatingly complex…as were all women.

"Women," he hissed, narrowing his bleeding-red eyes.

o0o

Outside Lucy's apartment, Levy stood nervously, anxiously twisting her hands together and chewing her bottom lip. She had to confront her friend about this, it was her duty as Lucy's best friend. But Levy didn't want to pry. This was a private, personal matter, and she just couldn't sit there and watch her best friend make a heady mistake. How would she say this to Lucy, though? It wasn't as if she could just come out and say, "Hey! You're making a huge mistake!" could she? No, she couldn't.

And it frustrated Levy that, given how smart she was, she still couldn't find the proper way to confront her best friend. Was there any good way to spring upon this, though? Levy wasn't entirely sure.

"…-chan? Levy-chan!"

Levy blinked, startled to hear Lucy's voice, and looked up at the initially closed to door to find it wide open, a smiling Lucy standing in the doorframe.

"Lu-chan," Levy murmured, smiling.

"Come on inside," Lucy insisted, stepping out of the way. "I just cleaned earlier, so make sure you take off your shoes. Vacuuming is a pain," the blonde muttered, glaring at her cleaning supply closet in the corner of the room. Then, Lucy's bright brown eyes lit up like a sparkler. "Oh!" she exclaimed, holding up a finger. "If you're here about my novel, I'm sorry, but I don't have anything new…I've been procrastinating lately." She laughed, waving her hand dismissively.

Levy frowned. Lucy was too…cheery. Much too cheery for someone who had been caught in bed, naked, with her supposed male best friend.

Of course, the celestial mage noticed the frown upon Levy's face. Lucy's smile slipped as she asked, "Is everything okay, Levy-chan? Did you get into a fight with Jet and Droy again?" She huffed, leading her friend to the couch with a gentle, one-armed tug. "I swear, they get jealous over every little thing! Especially where it concerns Gajeel… They really need to accept him, it's been a few years—actually, for them, it's been more than a few years. But I wouldn't let it bother you, okay? They're just worried about you."

Levy lowered herself onto the plush couch slowly, staring at Lucy's carpeted floor and letting her bare toes wiggle between the short strands of the rug-like material. "Actually, Lu-chan…I'm not here about your novel, or because of Jet and Droy…" The bluenette bit her bottom lip. There was no easy way to say this, was there?

Lucy pulled a strange face, looking both perplexed and concerned at the same time. When, suddenly, she smiled like a child on their birthday. "Then, is this about Gajeel? Oh, Mavis, Levy-chan, did he confess to you? Did he? He's such a stubborn ass, I thought it'd never happen!"

"Gajeel?" Levy squeaked, flushing ten shades of red before settling her emotions and coughing. "Um, no, it's not about him, or the matter of him confessing…" She hung her head like a scolded child and poked her fingers together innocently. The girl took a deep breath, preparing for her best friend's anger when she reluctantly said, "I'm here because of you and…Natsu."

Lucy stilled, her muscles locking, and Levy flinched, waiting for the explosion. But, much to her surprise, Lucy smiled and patted her on the head. "Oh, don't worry, I cleared up the misunderstanding, there's nothing to worry about."

"Lu-chan…"

"I'm fine," Lucy insisted, giving a small, and obviously forced, laugh. "I just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about us, especially Natsu…he believes anything anyone tells him."

"Lu-chan…I know," Levy said weakly, timidly.

The blonde gave a quirky smile, giggling at her best friend. "Then there's nothing to worry about, is there?"

"No, Lu-chan," Levy whispered, "I _know_." She folded her hands in her lap, tightly squeezing them together until her knuckles were white.

Lucy faltered for a brief second, obviously quite disconcerted, as her eyes began to scrutinize Levy's small, twiddling form on the couch. "I…don't understand, Levy-chan. What do you know?" she asked honestly. Her friend was behaving awfully strange, and, to be truthful, Lucy was concerned.

"I know what happened…what _really_ happened."

Everything in the room went silent as Lucy stared dumbly at her best friend. Levy…knew? She really knew? How had she found out? No one except for her, and possibly Natsu at the time, was supposed to know about it, and even thought Levy was her best friend, there were some things that Lucy just didn't want to share with anyone.

But that didn't matter anymore, she supposed. She just needed to cover it up again.

"That's…" Lucy stuttered. "That's a funny joke! Sheesh, Levy-chan, you – "

"Lu-chan!" Levy's small voice was like the crack of a whip, it demanded obedience and honesty. Neither of which Lucy wanted to give. And as uncharacteristic as it was for her, Levy found herself glowering at the blonde in front of her with smoldering eyes. "Enough! This isn't funny."

Lucy shrank back in shock.

"Mating…mating isn't something you should _play_ with, Lu-chan, you should _know_ that!"

And then Lucy reared back with a fiery comment of her own. "Play? Levy-chan, I would never play with something like that." Lucy's pretty face was marred with a sulking frown; it drew down her perfect eyebrows and made her sculpted lips purse.

Levy's gaze was challenging when she asked, "Then what, Lu-chan, are you doing?"

The blonde started, feeling all-too defensive and somehow angry with her best friend for interrogating her. But, she kept her mouth closed for fear that she would say something she truly would regret. And, as she did this, she began thinking, seeing things from Levy's perspective—the solid script mage was only trying to help her best friend. Lucy sighed, the words bubbling on her tongue. "I'm…" She halted, feeling suddenly unsure about her answer. "I'm protecting myself, Levy-chan…from change."

The solid script mage's golden eyes grew soft at Lucy's defeated look. Levy reached out with a small hand and wrapped it around Lucy's slightly larger one. "Lu-chan," she said softly, comfortingly, "change isn't always bad. For all you know, Natsu could have been excited to be mated, I know Wendy-chan is, she talks about it all the time, saying that she can't wait."

Lucy grimaced, glaring at nothing in particular. "But this is _Natsu_ we're talking about. He…he doesn't view me as anything more than his friend, his _nakama_… If he were mated to me…he would act accordingly because he would feel _obligated_ to do it… I…I don't want him to feel obligated, Levy-chan…"

Levy drew her hand back, soaking in Lucy's words. This was probably true. Natsu, although one of Fairy Tail's notorious powerhouses, was very, _very_ dense when it came to social skills, and Levy wondered if he actually properly understood the concept of mating and love. He probably didn't. But, still, Levy didn't think that this was a viable reason for Lucy to lie about her and Natsu having an intimate, life-altering experience.

"Either way, Lu-chan, you shouldn't hide this sort of thing from him…"

"Levy-chan, he isn't in love with me."

Shocked, Levy's eyes flashed to Lucy, who was staring down almost bitterly at her hands, wringing them anxiously.

"What are you talking about? Of course he loves you…" Levy murmured.

"Loving, and being in love are two very different things…"

Both girls knew this was true.

"And…" Lucy took in a breath, using her arms to hug herself tightly. "Honestly, I don't want to tie him down, you know?" she said sadly, blinking furiously. She almost wanted to cry. "He's an idiot, but he's a free-spirited idiot who doesn't know what he wants in life yet… I don't want to take that away from him."

Levy watched silently as one single tear dared to travel down Lucy's pale cheek. "Lu-chan," she whispered. She rose off the couch and hugged her best friend. "I understand…you're frustrated, and feeling helpless."

Lucy nodded into Levy's chest, barely containing a sniffle. Never in her life had Lucy felt like she had lost control of a situation, except for now. Now, she felt like that no matter what she did, something uncontrollable would happen. And Lucy didn't like this feeling, not at all. It wasn't pleasant.

Lucy let herself draw in a sniveling breath. "I'm being selfish, I know…but I'm doing what I think is best…for him _and_ for me. He can move on in life, and I can find some way to cope with this."

Levy pulled back, a serious expression etched on her small, pixie-like face. "Lu-chan, Natsu probably won't be able to move on… Dragonslayers mate for life. Even if he doesn't understand it now, he'll certainly be very attached to you."

"That's the thing, Levy-chan…I've done my fair research on dragonslayer mating. I was curious," the blonde defended suddenly when Levy arched a single brow. "But, I read that in order to be successfully mated, not only do we have to…you know, sleep together, but he has to know that I accept him—as a lover, I mean. The whole mating thing is like a psychological bond that is tied together by mutual feelings of love. As it stands now…Natsu has no idea that I'm…" She stopped suddenly, her lips twisting.

But, this was all Levy needed. "That…you're in love with him."

Lucy swallowed what felt like gravel in her throat. It was so painful to admit it. So damn painful. "Yeah…until I tell him those words, we won't be…officially mated. He'll just exhibit attempts at dominance over other men and maybe try to protect me more than usual… I doubt he'll even notice it though. And then, over time, those feelings will fade and everything will go back to normal."

"So, you're not going to tell him?" Levy wondered, bringing Lucy to sit on the couch with her.

Lucy heaved a heavy-sounding sigh. She licked her lips as she thought about her answer carefully, letting her chocolate colored eyes roam around the room in an almost guilty manner. "It's not that I won't…not tell him. I'll just keep it a little secret for now. Well, _we'll_ keep it a little secret for now," Lucy said finally, eyeing Levy expectantly.

The tiny bluenette only sighed as well. "Lu-chan, you know I don't like to lie…"

"I know, Levy-chan, I know. But, technically it's not lying, it's just obscuring the truth for a short amount of time."

Levy found herself scoffing. What a way to make lying sound like something completely harmless.

Lucy grasped the hand of her best friend, eyes pleading for understanding. "Please, Levy-chan…for me? Just this once?"

Levy, ever the rational person, weighed her options. On one hand, she would be lying to not only Natsu, but her entire guild, and on the other, she would be helping her very best friend in a time of trouble and uncertainty. She sighed. Decisions, decisions. If only things were in black and white without so many shades of gray.

And thus, Levy McGarden, the girl who hated to lie, caved. "Alright," she said slowly. "I promise to keep this a secret…for now, Lu-chan…"

Lucy's pale face brightened a considerable amount at this and she tackled her friend in a monster of a hug. "Thank you, Levy-chan. Thank you."

"But," Levy mumbled, hugging Lucy back. "If the situation becomes dire, and I feel the need to expose the secret, I'll do it. Understand?" Her voice was stern, but Levy saw the genuine relief in Lucy's eyes, and she suddenly felt warm inside, like she had done the right thing. Levy really hoped she had.

"Okay…Thanks again, Levy-chan," Lucy repeated feelingly with moist eyes.

"What are best friends for?" the solid script mage asked with a laugh. "But are you sure you okay with this?"

"I'll manage," Lucy answered rather vaguely. "It'll all work out fine."

Levy locked gazes with Lucy, her amber eyes intense. "Maybe, Lu-chan, but what about Natsu?"

"What do you mean?" the celestial mage questioned. "He's fine, didn't you see him? He's as loud and as annoying as ever."

"No, not that, I mean, what are you going to do about him?"

"Oh…" Lucy paused, fiddling with stray locks of her shiny, healthy blonde hair. "Well, I'll just act like usual. Like his best friend."

Levy looked apprehensive when she asked, "Are you sure, Lu-chan? Unrequited love is painful…very painful, and with this encounter, it's only going to make it more difficult for you to move on." Honey eyes shimmered with understanding of this. If there was anyone who understood unrequited love, it was Levy.

Because she was in love with the second densest man in all of Fairy Tail, and he had no clue about her feelings. Calling her "squirt" and "shorty" and "midget" every chance he got. Did he even realize what it did to her on the inside when he talked to nonchalantly to her like that? Probably not. So, in other words, Levy fully understood what Lucy was about to throw herself into.

"I'm sure," Lucy assured her with a smile.

"Lucy!"

Both women started, ice running through their veins at the new voice and at the sound of Lucy's apartment door flying open, colliding with the wall like a domino. Had their conversation been overhead?

"Lucy! Look! Look at this mission!"

No, Lucy exhaled, her eyes fluttering closed in relief. It looked like the person barging inside was too busy causing a racket to listen.

An excited Natsu barreled into her living room, a raggedy piece of ripped paper in his hands, jabbering about this and that and holding it out to her like a trophy. Lucy only gawked at him. She would have asked him how he had managed to get into her apartment, _again,_ and so silently without her noticing, but, kept her mouth shut tight as she watched him talk on and on and beg like a child. She couldn't help but smile.

"Sure, Natsu, it sounds like fun," she mused, taking the paper from his tanned hands. The same hands that had touched her body the night before.

Lucy shuddered just thinking about it.

"Yes!" he shouted, fists held high in the air. "Let's go, c'mon!" The dragonslayer aimed to yank on her upper arm, but Lucy only pulled back with a scowl.

Her foot was tapping when she blatantly stated, "Natsu, I have to pack still…and so do you."

"Oh…right…" And he started laughing, ruffling his own pink hair in the process.

"Lu-chan…" Levy murmured from the couch, eyeing her best friend and the source of her best friend's rather serious predicament. "Are you sure?"

Being alone with Natsu right now…Levy wasn't all that sure that Lucy could handle it, even if she swore to the high heavens that she could.

"Of course I am. I'm a big girl." Lucy placed her hands on her hips with an exuberant grin that almost made Levy reel back from its sheer force.

Well, Levy supposed, one thing was for sure; her best friend was a trooper. Maybe a frightened girl in love with an idiot, but a trooper nonetheless.

"Are you sure about what, Luce?" Natsu asked curiously, his green eyes wider than usual as he stared his partner down.

"Um…" the blonde fumbled. How was she supposed to make up an excuse with him staring at her like that? It was most unnerving, the way his eyes sparkled with mischief and he blinked at her like a child.

"Lu-chan's still getting over her cold," Levy covered quickly.

Natsu gaped. "You are?" he asked incredulously. "I thought you said I helped you sweat it out last night?" His gaze turned half-suspicious and he inched closer to her, as if inspecting her.

Lucy turned red as her hands began to twitch nervously. "I…um, I mean, I'm fine, Natsu, really…just can't be too careful."

"But your face is all red…" he grumbled with narrowed eyes. Then, the oblivious dragonslayer yanked his blonde partner closer to his body, pushed up her bangs with one hand and held his other palm to her forehead. Lucy squealed.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, pulling back with an embarrassed glower.

Natsu huffed as he crossed his muscular arms. "I was checking your temperature, Luce. You don't feel like you have a fever…but that's weird since your face is all red. Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should stay home another day after all…"

Lucy, feeling more flustered than ever, rolled her eyes. "Natsu," she said, "your body temperature is higher than mine even when I have a fever…you wouldn't be able to tell, I'd still feel cold to you." The celestial mage scoffed haughtily at his disappointed look.

"Whatever," he muttered. "You're weird, Luce."

"_I'm_ weird?" Lucy echoed. "_You're_ the one that's weird…"

"Well, you're weirder."

"I am _not _getting into this conversation with you, and for the record, no I am not! Now go home so I can pack!" Lucy rounded on her companion, turning him around and shoving him towards her front door.

"So…" Natsu began slowly. "Does that mean we're going?" He peered over his shoulder at Lucy, clearly expecting an answer.

"_Yes,_ Natsu, now go home…Levy-chan and I have important things to talk about."

Successfully pushing him outside of her door, Lucy went to shut it, when her childish partner shouted, "What kind of things? I want to know!"

And Lucy only yelled, "_Go home!_" before slamming her door shut with a red face. She sighed, turning on her heel to her best friend. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?" she asked, referring to the mission.

Levy only shrugged. "Maybe."

* * *

_**So, what did you think of the confrontation? Poor Lucy, ne? Well, hopefully everything turns our alright, but, secrets never end well... Stay tuned to find out what happens next! And be sure to review! I really want to hear your thoughts on what's happening :)**_

_**inukagome9193:**__ Yeah, it's a bit of a sti__cky situation for her, ne?__**  
**_

_**xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx:**__ Oh ho ho~! Well, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we? ;)__**  
**_

_**dog's paws burning in hot ash:**__ Thank you! And I love your reviews, so I hope you review for this chapter as well :D A__s for you speculation... All questions will be answered in due time! So, maybe, maybe not... It's all up to fate now (aka. ME. Muahaha)__**  
**_

_**Disappear500:** __Oh, yes, she is QUITE the liar. Shame, shame on you L__ucy...__**  
**_

_**gameer1000:**__ Oh, I plan on it! I just hope that I __receive more reviews ;) Looking forward to hearing more from you!__**  
**_

_**GoldenRose Tanya:**__ Yessssss! __Dun dun dunnnn! I hope you review, I'm looking forward to your input :D__**  
**_

_**Amychama248:**__ Viola! Update I have :3 Thank you for the praise, I hope you keep reading and __I hope to hear more from you in the future! :D__**  
**_

_**black thorn angel:**__ Thank__ you very much :) And I know what you mean... Lucy's in a pickle, ne? She's too scared to reveal what really happened for fear of ruining her relationship with Natsu D: Hopefully, she can get over this and they really can become a family!__**  
**_

_**Suilen:**__ Haha! Yeah, every__one is saying, "Poor Lucy!". Myself included. I mean, that just burns, ne? And I know, right? If it were me in her shoes, I would have crawled under a rock and become a hermit for the rest of my life. Ah, but Lucy's too good for that XD. Thanks for waiting and I hope to hear more from you!__**  
**_

_**KawaiiOdango:**__ Sorry this took so lo__ng! I was without power for just over a week, so I hope you can forgive me! Hopefully though, this chapter makes up for the wait :) Can't wait to hear your thoughts!__**  
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_**Lucechan:**__ Thank you :D And al__so, thanks for being the first reviewer of the previous chapter! :) I hope you plan to continue reading!__**  
**_

_**Thanks to all who reviewed for the last chapter! And I hope you all review for this one, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this!**  
_


	5. The Newcomer

_**Aha! An update :) Thanks to all who reviewed to the last chapter, it made me smile :D Hope you like this one just as well! But, before that, have any of you seen the preview for Fairy Tail OVA 4?! JFOHD;FKAJFHNVA;.DKFJFAH;EIUAH;EFHN. OH, MY POOR SHIPPER HEART. So much NaLu... *dies*. Ahem. But seriously. If you haven't seen it, then go LOOK IT UP. I swear I saw what looked like some Gruvia in there too (for all you Guvia fans, myself included ;)) Back to the story! Read! Enjoy! Review! Oh, and beware of this chapter! High T for Gajeel's potty mouth! You have been warned!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Newcomer**_

* * *

It had taken two full weeks for the buzz of Natsu and Lucy's supposed night together to die down. Two weeks. Two achingly long, torturous weeks, Lucy thought sourly. For the first few days, she had been on a mission with Natsu, and though that in itself had proved challenging—as Lucy had found herself unabashedly staring at him more and more, and he had actually threatened to break a random man's arm for trying to touch her body—they had gotten through it. Afterwards though, when Lucy thought she would be able to return to a safe haven, the guild members kept asking her whether or not she and Natsu had cuddled during their time away together.

It was a meaningless, tasteless joke, Lucy knew, but, their teasing was just about the death of her as she had to assure, and then reassure, that they had been fully clothed whenever they had interacted on their trip. It had been mortifying. But, Lucy supposed it was better this way.

And it was the first morning that Lucy had arrived at the guild without being bombarded with teasing smiles or questions. "Thank Mavis," she huffed to herself, making a beeline for the table that Levy, Gajeel and Pantherlily were sitting at.

Like usual, Gajeel and Lily were in a testosterone-fueled disagreement. Over what, Lucy had no clue, and quite frankly, it didn't concern her, but as soon as she sat down, the sharp-tongued pair quieted. Gajeel settled for glowering darkly at the wooden floor. Pantherlily sat in Levy's lap after snorting in the iron dragonslayer's direction.

Lucy lifted a blonde eyebrow in speculation. "_Okay…_" she mumbled curiously.

Gajeel's ruby eyes darted her way, a nasty, "Shaddup," slipping from his mouth. He crossed his arms, the metal embedded in his corded muscles gleaming in the morning light that poured through the open windows.

Lucy frowned. He was touchier than usual.

"Levy, tell him that he's being ridiculous," Lily suddenly scoffed, his furry arms folding over his dark underbelly.

"I said shaddup, cat!"

Perplexed, Lucy only glanced back and forth between the two, noticing the almost palpable tension crackling in the air like lightning. Thus, the blonde turned to Levy, who sat quietly next to Gajeel, ignoring the spat completely while rubbing Lily on the head affectionately and deeply immersing herself in a thick novel.

"Do I want to know what's going on?" Lucy asked tentatively, speaking to Levy more than anyone else.

The calm and collected solid script mage rolled her eyes after lifting them from the printed pages below her nose. "Even I don't know what's going on, Lu-chan… They've been at this, whatever _this_ is," the bluenette waved her hands about the air exasperatedly, "since yesterday."

Lily snorted again, eyeing his dragonslayer partner precociously. "This discussion would be over and done with if someone would just admit that he might have fee – "

"_Fuck,_ Lily! Shut yer damn mouth!" Gajeel snapped roughly.

"You are too stubborn for your own good. Maybe this is why nothing has progressed yet?" Lily saucily mused. "For once, if you quit with the stubborn ass routine, you might be able to express – "

Gajeel made a low rumbling noise in the back of his throat, sounding something like the growl of a hungry beast. "Dammit, Lily, say one more word, and I swear I'll…"

"Afraid of what I have to say, Gajeel? Why should you be? After all, it's not like your blind to your own – "

"Cat, I'm warning you. Shaddup." Red eyes narrowed to slits.

"All I'm saying, Gajeel, is that you better get your sorry ass in gear…before someone else takes what you want…" Lily trailed off ominously after casting a wayward glance in Levy's direction.

It didn't go unnoticed by Lucy. "Oh…" she gasped, blinking. So that was what this was about… Gajeel and Levy?

She wasn't blind to the obvious chemistry between the ruthless, battle-loving dragonslayer and the mousy, but brilliant bookworm of Fairy Tail—no one was. And the two had been playing cat and mouse for years now, going far enough to show that they care, but then backing out at the last second and pretending as if nothing happened.

"Something wrong, Lu-chan?" Levy questioned after hearing her friend's sudden, but quiet, exclamation.

"No," the celestial mage answered quickly, shaking her head for emphasis. "No, nothing's wrong. Nothing at all." She grinned.

It was about damn time that something was done about their relationship, not that they didn't have a good one—in fact, they had a very stable base established; with a questionable past, maybe, but, they showed more promise than half of the couples in the guilds across Fiore. And Lily had finally decided to do something about it; though, it wasn't proving to be all that effective. But it was still a start, a step in the right direction.

Lucy smiled happily. Finally, someone was paying attention to a relationship other than hers and Natsu's. It was sort of refreshing in its own way. The guild was finally back to normal, a few scuffles here and there, little arguments, and an all-the-time party. The blonde started giggling, enjoying the normalcy of it all. There was one thing missing, though; Natsu wasn't present yet.

But Lucy didn't mind it all that much, he would show up sooner or later. So, when the large double doors opened with an announcing slam, she automatically assumed it was her idiot of a teammate, and didn't bother to look up. However…though she didn't raise her head, Lucy heard the unmistakable sound of pure silence, which surely meant that the person who had just entered the Fairy Tail premise was definitely _not_ Natsu.

The once-heiress, in curiosity, cast her eyes to the doors to find a stranger standing in the doorframe. He was relatively young, no older than twenty, lean in build, fine, bleach-white hair swept across the crown of his head with piercing, commanding green eyes. He was handsome, Lucy noted with a daze, very handsome indeed. In fact, had she not been so stuck on Natsu at the time—for whatever reason—she reasoned that she may have very well added this stranger to her ever-shrinking list of perfect boyfriends.

"Greetings," the strange man spoke in a warm voice that gave Lucy the chills. "My name is Galahad Finnick, I come to you with the request of being made an official mage of Fairy Tail." He stood proudly at the door, a fully confident look on his wonderfully angelic face. And he did not stoop to lower his head, or bow, or show any signs of pleading. The way he stood so silently, but so commanding in aura, gave the impression that he was a headstrong person.

Perhaps a bit arrogant, maybe even vain, but he was confident. Which was good, Lucy thought. She had always liked confident people over the insecure ones.

"Galahad-san…was it?" Mirajane said sweetly from behind the bar counter, a mug of freshly brewed ale in her hands. "The Master is in the back, I'll fetch him for you."

The young man, Galahad, watched the barista leave with a twinkle in his eye. He gave a smug sort of smirk as he stared pointedly at her backside, vivid green eyes watching her pale legs intently as she skipped up the short set of stairs leading to the back room. Then, he pursed his lips in a thinking manner before whispering blandly, "Eight and a half."

Lucy grimaced, glaring at him briefly—he was rating Mirajane on her looks, the bastard. Scratch the boyfriend list. He was a damn lecher. But, unfortunately, as Lucy looked around to see her guildmates' reaction to this, she found that none of them had even noticed the action. The women were too busy chatting excitedly, and the men were far too busy giving him once-overs, assessing him and his threat to their chances of possibly finding a girlfriend.

The blonde huffed. How was she the only one who noticed these things? They were glaringly obvious.

Well, thankfully, now she knew not to give him the time of day, even if he looked as though he had just stepped out of a magazine.

From her left, came the hiss of, "Lu-chan…"

Lucy blinked, and then looked over her shoulder at her best friend who appeared troubled over something as her eyes shimmered in apprehension. Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Levy-chan? What is it?"

Levy batted her amber eyes after narrowing them to a certain degree. Her mouth formed a straight line. "I think…I think that guy is staring at you," she whispered lowly, cupping a hand to the side of her mouth like she was whispering a secret.

Startled, Lucy lurched backwards as if electrocuted, and searched the room rapidly. What guy? The newcomer? Her tawny eyes raked over the guild before landing hesitantly on Galahad Finnick, and he caught her search with something feral in his own eyes. He was staring directly back at her, a strange smile upon his lips that revealed perfect teeth.

She glowered at him fiercely, letting him know that she certainly was not interested in anything he had to offer. But, this strange man only laughed, his shoulders shaking with amusement. His stare didn't falter, though, and Lucy had to be the one to break contact.

"Creep," she muttered under her breath.

"Lucy Heartfilia," a honey-smooth voice hummed delightedly.

The celestial mage felt her body ice over like concrete when Galahad said her name so friendly, so invitingly.

Everyone in the room paused what they were doing and peered between her and the newcomer.

"So good to finally meet you," he said with a smile. Galahad stalked over to Lucy's table in long strides, his boot-clad feet colliding heavily with the wooden floorboards, tanned hands in the pockets of his black cargo pants.

On her right, Gajeel stiffened, muscles locking and tensing with each step the stranger took. The dragonslayer let out a deep-pitched warning growl, eyes flashing dangerously. The message was clear: Galahad was not to take one step closer to Lucy or Levy.

"Easy," Galahad crooned, yanking his hands back out of his pockets to hold them up, palms facing forwards. "I won't hurt her." Galahad let another simpering, sly smile light his handsome face. "I've only come to introduce myself, nothing more."

Lucy shrank into her seat. Why was he greeting her so personally? Did he know her from somewhere? Silently, she studied him, regarding his face, his clothes, his body, and then his attitude. She definitely didn't recognize him, she would have remembered someone like him before. Her brown eyes were narrowed when he, despite Gajeel's deadly glare, reached across the small table and held out his hand for her to shake.

Lucy hesitated, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

"Oh, come now," Galahad sighed as his green eyes darkened. "Won't you greet the man soon to become your _nakama?_ I don't bite…most of the time," he chuckled good-naturedly. Then, after smiling at her once more, he waved his hand enticingly, urging her to shake it.

And she did so very reluctantly, keeping her eyes upon his for every second as she did. His hand was warm, rough, but warm and entirely too comfortable. "A pleasure," she said cautiously, not quite ready to accept him and his apparent kindness.

"Ah, I know you don't know who I am, but I have been a fan of yours for quite some time," he admitted with a nod of his head, his white hair flowing with the motion. His hand squeezed hers lightly.

The celestial mage gaped. A fan? She had a fan?

"So, in other words, the pleasure's all mine." And he brought the back of her hand to his mouth, planting a firm, tight-lipped kiss directly over her pink guild stamp.

Lucy squealed and yanked the appendage back, red-faced as ever. "What on Earthland are you… Who said you could kiss my hand?" she demanded hotly. The girl didn't hesitate to glare at Galahad, her almond eyes fiery and highly defensive.

He only laughed at her reaction, his shoulders shaking again. "But," he started slowly, a drawl to his succulent voice, "isn't the princess supposed to be kissed upon her hand?" The way he looked at her, with his mossy green irises, it almost made her melt.

This man was nothing short of dangerous…not only was he handsome, but he knew he was handsome. And he used it to his advantage.

"Galahad Finnick," Master's sudden voice boomed throughout the hall, effectively making everyone, except for Gajeel and Galahad, flinch.

Lucy was the only one who breathed out a huff of relief. The attention was off of her and Galahad now, thankfully, and she had time to think about what was happening. Honestly, she was confused. She had just been approached by a man, and that hardly ever happened. Though, most of the time it was because Natsu was almost always within the immediate vicinity, and he could be quite territorial over letting her have male friends. He always liked to check them out for himself. But, Natsu wasn't here now, and that signaled that she was fair game, apparently.

Lucy glanced back at Galahad to find his eyes elsewhere. She exhaled again.

Makarov was standing at the bottom of the wooden stairs that led to the back room, his hands folded behind his back expectantly, his old eyes narrowed. The old man's beard twitched as he slowly breathed and eyed every one of his "children" with sharp, knowing eyes. Those same eyes instantly landed on Galahad, taking notice of the young man's close approximation to Lucy, who appeared all too uncomfortable.

"Master Makarov," Galahad greeted formally, lowering his eyes in a rare show of respect.

The Master cleared his throat with a cough. "I hear you want to be made a member of Fairy Tail," was all the elder said.

"You've heard correctly," Galahad replied with a quick nod.

"May I ask why you've chosen Fairy Tail?" Makarov lifted one of his heavy, white-with-age eyebrows in obvious curiosity. "Chose your answer wisely, for if it's not fitting, I am liable to turn you away, though that is something I despise doing," his tone was laced with warning, trying to guide the young man.

Galahad was smirking again, almost sarcastically. "Would you like the honest truth, Master?"

Makarov paused as he cross-examined the arrogant youth in his midst. He grumped, "The truth is best, even if it is ugly. Here, we value honesty."

Galahad did not hesitate when he next said, very nonchalantly, "I did not come here to partake in missions, or become stronger. I am plenty strong as I am now," he chuckled, his lean muscles twitching as if to vouch for his strength. Many members in the guild shared uncertain glances at this. "I came here to follow love."

At this, everyone in the room stilled. One moment, this boy was arrogant, praising his own prowess, and the next, he was admitting that he was following love. Could a person be conceited and a romantic at the same time? Perhaps, though it was a rather odd, and rather rare combination.

Master Makarov seemed to be the most surprised by this, however, as his gray eyes widened significantly. "To follow…love, you say?" he repeated slowly, as if to make sure that he had both heard and understood Galahad correctly.

The latter simply bobbed his head in a curt nod. "A long time ago, I fell in love with a beautiful mage," he said, his tone full of brutal honesty, "and she was in the strongest guild of the time; Fairy Tail. She was unaware of my existence as I was younger than her by far, but she was fascinating, both in beauty and in personality, and I found that I couldn't just settle for anyone other than her. I had made it my dream to be able to meet her in person. So when I had heard that she had died on the Island of Tenrou…I was devastated…" Here, he stopped for a short moment, taking slow, deep breaths as if to calm himself and ran a tanned hand through his bleach-colored hair.

The rest of the guild was dead silent, apparently eager to hear the rest of this story play out. Lucy, too, found that she was semi-curious as to what happened, her nails biting into the wood of her seat.

"I was thirteen at the time of her disappearance, and I thought that since I was young, I would be able to move on. However…imagine my surprise when, seven years later, out of nowhere, I hear the magnificent story of the resurrection of the lost Fairies. She was among those who returned. And I, as I was of age, made it my goal to come here and become a member so I could stand on equal ground with her after so many years." Galahad's eyes had taken on a new sort of burn to them as he spoke, like a single flame lit in the darkness of the night.

"That's…" Makarov coughed, dropping his gaze to the floor. "That's quite the tale. But, as you know, as a magical guild, we cannot accept anyone without magical abilities…it would be far too dangerous for a normal human."

The cocky, arrogant and vain Galahad returned with renewed vigor as he smugly replied, "I never said that I had no magical ability. In fact, what I'm capable of is quite rare and quite valued in society."

Lucy found herself scoffing. What a character. Smitten in love, maybe, but somehow superbly vain, if that even made sense. Lucy felt sorry for whatever poor girl he had targeted.

Makarov's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"

"I specialize in dream caster magic."

The Master spluttered, his narrowed eyes blinking furiously, as if he hadn't believed what he had just hear. "Dream caster magic?" he echoed, tone completely interested, yet bewildered at the same time.

"Dream caster magic…" the quiet mage by Lucy's side murmured incredulously. She found herself rubbing Lily's head absentmindedly, stroking languidly, as her golden eyes grew wider and wider. Dream caster magic… Someone with such powerful magic could be so young? It was almost unheard of…

Lucy, her brows drawing downwards as another hush fell over the guild, turned to Levy again. "Levy-chan…" she mumbled softly, keeping her eyes trained on Galahad as she spoke. "What's dream caster magic? What does it do?"

Levy, the undeniably smart bookworm, sounded amazed when she said, "Dream casters are people who specialize in illusions, Lu-chan… If they look into your eyes, they automatically know your dreams and your worst fears, and they can make it come to life, if only for a given amount of time…To make an enemy of a dream caster is very unwise, and I think Master knows that. Galahad could be an incredible addition to Fairy Tail…he might even be promoted to S-class on his first attempt at the trial."

Feeling suddenly very small in the drinking hall, Lucy shrank into her seat again, avoiding Galahad's general direction. Someone with such power existed? More importantly, could someone with such a hand over everyone be trusted? If he knew everyone's dreams as well as their fears, couldn't he blackmail any one of the guildmates? Even Master? She shuddered just thinking about it.

"Well, that's certainly a useful magic, my boy," Makarov conceded unhurriedly. "How can I know what you say is true?" he challenged.

Galahad chuckled, his hands shoved deep inside his pockets once more. He flipped his bleached blonde hair, girls swooning with the movement, and abruptly spun on his heel so he was facing Lucy's table once more. Lucy stilled, expecting him to make eye contact with her again, but he, however, set his cool gaze on none other than Gajeel.

Green clashed with red as the dragonslayer stiffened tersely, his bunched muscles coiling in his forearms, making the shining metal studs practically dance.

"You, my friend," Galahad said nonchalantly, "your dream is to be truly accepted into Fairy Tail and by someone very dear to you." His eyes flicked to Levy's petit form for the barest sliver of a second.

Lucy didn't miss this obvious sign, and, in a show of protection, grabbed her best friend's hand.

"And your fear…" Galahad paused, his eyes glazing over in just the slightest fraction as if he wasn't seeing Gajeel anymore…but, rather something else. A memory, perhaps. He returned before anyone could notice such a long pause, though, and wore a disturbing smirk when he said, "Your fear is losing that someone in a very deliberate, mocking, and defiling way."

Gajeel's breathing all but stopped as he recalled just what Galahad was talking about. Years ago, the Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail war…the accursed tree… And he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Furiously, the iron dragonslayer fixed his murderous eyes upon the illusionist, knuckles popping and cracking dangerously. How _dare_ that _fucker_ read into such a private, decimated memory!

"Stand down, Gajeel," Makarov's voice ordered, noticing the way the dragonslayer was ready to pounce on Galahad and rip his hide into pieces smaller than grits of sand.

Reluctantly, and ever so tensely, the livid man did as he was told, and settled for brooding heavily.

"I did not ask for an example of your power," the Master chided. "But, I believe what you say, and as for your intentions…I cannot turn away such a pure motive."

Lucy gaped. Pure motive? Pure? This man was anything but pure, by the looks of it.

Makarov turned around and smiled at Mirajane, who stood behind him with a pleasant grin of her own. "Mira-chan, be a dear and fetch the stamp, would you?" And then he rounded on Galahad once more. "I recognize you as a mage of Fairy Tail. But as you should know, should you turn your back on us, your _nakama, _at any time, I have the power to forcefully remove you from this guild myself."

"Of course," Galahad agreed, lowering his eyes again in a show of respect.

Whether that show was exactly what it seemed, a _show_, or if it was genuine, Lucy couldn't tell. But one thing was for sure. She definitely did not trust this man.

The newcomer let his eyes rise once more, their vivid color taking everyone by storm once more. "I would expect no less."

"Good, good." Makarov snorted.

Mirajane, still with that ever so nice smile welded to her pale face, stepped back down the stairs, a stamp in her open palms. "Master," she greeted, handing it to him.

"Thank you, Mira-chan. Now," he turned back to Galahad, "as of now, you are an official mage of Fairy Tail. Where would you like the guild insignia?"

The dream caster wasted no time in grabbing his oversized, sleeveless coat and yanking it over his head, revealing more tanned, lean muscles that worked like a well-oiled machine with every movement he made. Lucy ogled his body, feeling ashamed inside. Galahad smirked again, as if he knew that she was watching him intently, and pointed a single finger to his left pectoral. "Here," he commanded, "directly over my heart."

The Master weighed the stamp in his hand, eyed all of his "children" once more, and then branded Galahad. "Welcome, to Fairy Tail, Galahad Finnick."

* * *

_**So? What do ya'll think of my very first OC? Galahad Finnick. Oooh, I just loved that name - I knew it was perfect, it sounds perfect for his character, ne? I want to hear your thoughts on him! Let me know if you like him or not, because he will play a very important role in the story's future :3**_

_**DanaeMariSkywalker:**__ Thank you :D Me too, I'm always craving a NaLu story :3 In fact, I was brow__sing one day, reading one about a drinking contest, when this idea popped into my head... Mou, I just couldn't let it go! I thought that if I wrote it down, I could get it out of my head, you know? But, before I knew it...it had morphed into this! A story with a plot and everything XD Anywhoser. Yes. They're both so incredibly dense. Thankfully, Gajeel isn't as dense as Natsu (or I would have lost all hope for __GaLe)!__**  
**_

_**Suilen:**__ Haha, yeah. There really is nothing else to say other than '__poor Lucy' ne? I mean, you just gotta feel for her when she's in a predicament like this! And thank you, I'm flattered you think you :D I hope to hear mo__re of your thoughts!__**  
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_**GoldenRose Tanya:**__ Ah, another review ;) I can always count on you, ne? Haha! XD And OMGZ, you like this story so much that you snuck onto your bro's computer? If you were trying to make me feel accomplished, well, __congratulations! XD And yes! Natsu i__s just too dense! But, he's too cute when he's like that... XD__**  
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_**Axelx3:**__ Wish granted! Welcome abo__ard :3 I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you'll stick with me through to the end XD (this story is proving to be quite lengthy!) Hoping to hear your thoughts on this chapter!__**  
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_**Rummy88:**__ Thanksies :D I hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter :) As for your hope__, well, you'll just have to wait and find out ;) I'm not going to say anything XD I don't __want to make this story too predictable.__**  
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_**Disappear500:**__ Have I mentioned before that I __absolutely love long reviews? No? Well, I do XD And, I have to be honest, your review actually made me laugh out loud. In public. XD It usually takes a little bit to get me to actually laugh from reading something, so, mission accomplished my friend! XDDD I hope this chapter was just as satis__fying as the last, what, with the new development. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on Galahad!__**  
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_**Amychama248:**__ Haha, well, we won't know unti__l later ;) I'm not going to give anything away XD Thank you! Hoping to hear more of your thoughts on this chapter!_

_**black thorn angel:**__ Thank you very much :) Natsu's reaction, __I'm hear hoping that Lucy will even gather up her guts enough to even tell him! Of course, I know how it all plays out, being the author and all, but, whatevs... XD As for that hurricane. Gr. Lost power for, like, a week. I just about died. I'm a 21st century girl, I embrace this fact, and I rely on technology to get me through the day. No shame. Lol, but I did love the fact that I didn't have school for about a week and then I had a few days off for election day and teacher planning :) So, it wasn't all bad I suppose. And don't apologize for rambling! I love rambling, ramble my ears off if you want ;) As you can see, I'm a rambler myself! Can't stop talking most of the time...it's a problem sometimes XD. Thanks for your review! Hoping t__o hear your thoughts on this chapter :D__**  
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_**KawaiiOdango:**__ Lol, yes__, yes he is! It's part of what makes him so lovable, ne? I mean, Natsu just wouldn't be Natsu if he wasn't dense. Now, I'm not saying he's stupid or anything (Cuz he isn't, he's actually proved to be pretty smart on some occasions), but, dense Natsu is a cute Natsu, in my opinion ;) As for jealousy...hmm...well, I think that ties in pretty well with this chapter. Galahad picked the perfect time to join, didn't he? Shh. I didn't say anything. You di__dn't hear that from me ;)__**  
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_**Ksrjah:**__ Lol! First of all, I have to say, your avatar thr__ew me for a loop when I first saw it XD I had to look at it for a while before it made me laugh :3 I hope you liked this chapter!__**  
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_**Cupcake-Lover-1374:**__ Than__k you :3 I'm not worthy of such praise, but thank you. I'm still improving, there's always room for that! Anyway, I'm hoping this chapter didn't disappoint :) Looking forward to your thoughts on Galahad__!__**  
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_**dog's paw burning in hot ash:**__ Why__, thank you, chap ;) Thanks for the understanding, too :3 As for the mission, well, I didn't go into much detail, unfortunately /: I felt like it was unnecessary to the plot and would have taken up a lot of time, you know? But, I made sure to include Lucy's descriptions of Natsu's spats of jealousy in the first few paragraphs or so ;) Hoping that it sates that craving for Jealous!Natsu for the time being! But, who knows, maybe he'll make a come__back... ;) But, I ain't saying more than that! XD__**  
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_**misstirius:**__ Oh, yes, yes__ she is. I can honestly say that from here on out, it's only going to get worse before it gets better (poor Lucy XD). Lol and those awkward and painful situations will be aplenty, I assure you ;) It's gotta teach her a lesson, right? She can't be keeping big secrets like that from her best friends__! XD Anyway, hoping to hear more of your thoughts!__**  
**_

_**Mirajane S and Erza S:**__ Mine too! For about a week, if I recall correctly ;3 I would have liked it a lot better though, if I had had power during that week! But, alas, I d__id not D: I'm never taking hot showers for granted again. Seriously. Anywhoser! Hope you liked this chapter! What do you think about Galahad? I'__m eager to know!__**  
**_

_**Lucechan:**__ First of all, thanks for being the first review__er for the previous chapter :D Secondly, thank you! That really means a lot :) It takes so much time to write just one chapter, so, hearing it being praised really makes me happy :3 And I know, right? How is it possible for him to forget something like that? Bah! Such a dense d__ragonslayer...__**  
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	6. The Mission

_**Okay, so, I told myself that I wouldn't watch that OVA until te subtitles came out, just to give it a better effect the first time I watched it... Welp. Let's just say that it didn't exactly work out. Yesterday, I was in such the mood for NaLu that I just couldn't hold myself back... AND IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING! Even if I could only understand half of what they were saying... :3 Even so, understanding half is a pretty good accomplishment in my book :D If I was listening correctly, then, during the bathouse scene (SPOILER) all the girls (Levy, Wendy, Erza, Juvia and I think Charle) gang up on Lucy and interrogate her about Natsu XD Juvia says that when Lucy was drunk, that she confessed her feelings to Natsu (which, is a lie, sadly. Juvia says this so that Lucy will 'let go of Gray-sama'... oh, Juvia XD) and then Lucy freaks out! She says that she doesn't love Natsu, but, she flashes back to the time when she visited his and Happy's house and I think she said something about him being "special". (END OF SPOILER) But, anyway, I could be wrong, but I swear to everythhing almighty, that's what I heard them saying while I was watching it ;3 Can't wait for the subs to come out to see if I was right :3   
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* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Mission**_

* * *

"Lucy! I said I was sorry! C'mon, Luce…"

"Lucy, I'm sorry!"

As fast as she could, Lucy stalked down the streets of Magnolia, an incredible glower on her face. "Sorry isn't going to cut it, Natsu, Happy," she called out over her shoulder irritably. Whipping around another corner, dodging between throngs of people, Lucy strode to the guild.

_Honestly_, she scoffed to herself. What on Earthland had possessed those two earlier in the morning? Not only had they broken into her apartment _again_, but they had _set her kitchen on fire_. Again. This made it the second time, and Lucy was absolutely livid with the dragonslayer and his flying companion—mostly the dragonslayer though, since, obviously he had been the brains behind the operation. And right about now, she was wondering if he even had brains to begin with...

_Don't touch the stove, Natsu,_ she had told him countless times_. _

_Don't play with the matches, Natsu._

And what had he done? He'd accidentally caught fire to an _entire_ matchbox set. A whole box. And, as a consequence, she had woken up that morning choking on black smoke and seeing a frantic Natsu, along with his equally frantic Exceed, scrambling around in her kitchen looking for water.

Lucy was angry. And she was tired too. And when she was both angry and tired, things tended to not go so well for her.

"Lucy..." Natsu whined from behind her again. His clothes were covered in soot, as was his hair, turning it a dark sort of maroon-looking color, and he smelled like smoke—which, actually, he smelled like all the time. Now, though, he smelled extra strong.

And so did she, Lucy thought with dismay. She might not have had soot and dust on her clothes or body, but she certainly smelled like she had just gone camping. Frustrated, she halted suddenly, stamping her feet on the cobblestone street, and rounded on Natsu, glaring. Happy, looking like a scolded child, shrank back from her wrath.

"Listen," she seethed, "I am very angry with you right now. So, you better think of a good way to apologize."

Natsu Dragneel pouted, crossing his arms. "I _did_ apologize, Luce…" he murmured before lowering his eyes submissively.

"Aye," Happy agreed, tears in his eyes.

"Saying sorry and properly apologizing are two very different things," Lucy snapped before turning back around and shoving open Fairy Tail's doors. What she needed now was an escape of some sort. A day out shopping with Levy perhaps? Or anyone, Lucy thought grimly, as long as they weren't Natsu. "He'd probably burn down half the things I buy anyway…" she grumbled to herself, walking inside with a frown.

"Such a face…" came a voice from her right, smooth and light, "…shouldn't be pulled by someone like you, Lucy." Galahad stood next to her, that usual sly grin on his face.

Lucy turned her glare on him, not even half-surprised that he had apparently been standing there, waiting for her to arrive. Her lips were as tight as her tone. "Save your flattery for someone else, Galahad-san," she bit out rudely.

She was _so_ not in the mood for his pompous ass today.

"Oh," he chuckled, seeming surprised with her volatile reaction. "But it's not simple flattery. And please, call me Galahad." Going to grab at her hand, no doubt to kiss it again, Galahad watched for her acknowledgement from underneath his blonde eyelashes.

But, the two were interrupted by an abrupt demand of, "Oi! Who're you?"

Galahad leaned back, still hanging on to Lucy's hand by the tips of his long fingers, and peered quizzically at the parading figure who had just advanced through the entrance.

Natsu came up from Lucy's left as he entered the guild, hands fisted, and eyes glaring at what he perceived as a threat to his companion. "Luce, is this guy bothering you?" the dragonslayer asked lowly, smoke trailing from his mouth in anticipation. His suddenly-heated gaze landed on their intertwined hands.

Still quite angry with her partner, Lucy locked eyes with him briefly, scoffed haughtily, and violently yanked her hand from Galahad's. Silently fuming, the blonde stalked away, leaving both men standing by the entrance.

And this left Natsu and Galahad alone with each other, sort of speechless, and both staring after Lucy as she stormed rather menacingly to a table that housed Levy and Erza. Natsu shuddered. More than likely, Lucy was going to spill to Erza about the…incident that had occurred earlier in the morning, and then the redhead would decapitate—or emasculate, whichever she felt like at the time—him with one of her pointy swords.

"She's rather cute when she's angry…" Galahad hummed delightedly, his eyes trained on Lucy's flamboyant figure as she ranted to her friends a few tables away.

Natsu's sharp eyes fixated on Galahad, immediately viewing him as a threat once more. Cute? Did this person have an interest in Lucy of some sort? Natsu scowled at the thought of this. Lucy had had plenty of relationships go awry because of this sort of guy. And it made Natsu angry, not only because there were bastards in the world who would purposely try to emotionally damage his best friend, but also that those bastards came flooding in flocks, it seemed. And it was his job, Natsu knew, as Lucy's best friend, to put a halt to this catastrophe before it could even happen.

"I'll ask again," he muttered, trying to ignore what the stranger had just said, and gave his full attention. "Who are you?" The muscles in his arms were tight as he watched this person, whom Lucy had called "Galahad", languidly hold out an arm.

"Galahad Finnick," the conceited man mused, his eyes mocking as he held out his hand for the dragonslayer to shake. "Newest member of Fairy Tail as well as your _nakama_."

Eyeing the extended hand, Natsu met Galahad half way for a friendly-mannered hand shake. But he found himself scowling darkly as he did so. There was something off about this Galahad person…maybe it was the way he spoke, or acted, or stared after Lucy like a beast would its prey, but Natsu, for whatever reason, found that he simply didn't like the newcomer. This, all things considered, was strange, since he considered himself to be an amiable person of sorts.

As if he knew what was running through the dragonslayer's head, Galahad pulled back his hand and placed it in the pocket of his cargo pants. His other hand fiddled with his sleeveless jacket, tugging on the fur lining the hood. "And you are?" Galahad asked, his mouth lifting upwards in his signature smirk.

"Natsu Dragneel," Natsu said. "Lucy's partner," he tacked on, his territorial instincts kicking in like a backup reserve.

"Ah, that makes sense…" was all Galahad said, his gaze calculating. "No wonder you seem as if you don't like me…you see me as a threat to your friendship." Galahad laughed at Natsu then, almost hysterically, but with a definite mocking quality to his voice.

The dragonslayer bristled, feeling his palms heat with a familiar burning sensation, and let his dark green eyes narrow to slits. He bared the slightest hint of his teeth; his K-9's poking into his bottom lip like an animal's.

"You look like someone just died," Galahad joked, his bleached brows lifting upwards in amusement. Then, he snorted when the look upon Natsu's face only intensified. "Don't worry," he said slowly, and lowly enough for only Natsu to hear, "I won't take your position as her best friend… I have no intention of being her _friend_."

Puzzled, Natsu stalled for a brief moment, his anger fizzling out like a doused flame. His fisted hands unclenched. What did that even mean? No longer angry, but rather suspicious, the dragonslayer gritted his teeth and held Galahad's gaze levelly.

o0o

"I mean, can you believe him? Just what on Earthland does he think he's doing? First my bathroom door, now my kitchen…" Lucy moaned into her hands, her forehead on the edge of the wooden table she sat at. Really, this past month was going from bad to worse, and more than half of the blame fell onto Natsu. "My landlady is going to murder me and bury my body in the backyard…"

By her side, Levy laughed lightly at Lucy's morbid humor, tucking a lock of blue hair behind her tiny ear. "Well, Lu-chan, did he say why he came over?"

Glaring, Lucy flung her head back up fast enough to give herself whiplash. She scoffed, wrinkling her nose in the process. "Does it really matter why he came over? It wasn't like he was going to make me breakfast in bed or anything…"

"Are you saying, that if he _had_ been trying to make you breakfast in bed, that you wouldn't be angry?" Erza asked curiously, one of her red eyebrows arched perfectly as she spooned a full-sized bite of cheesecake into her mouth.

"What?" Lucy spluttered, eyes wide. "No! I never said that," she huffed. "All I'm saying, is that, _one_, he was trespassing, and _two_, it doesn't matter what he was doing because he _set my kitchen on fire_… It'll take two weeks' worth of missions to pay for the damages, and then I have to repaint… Not to mention, I still have to fix my door." Lucy's brown eyes darted to Erza, who sat next to her innocently without a look of shame as she nibbled at a sweet, pastry-like roll, the cheesecake all but finished.

"Well," Levy sighed. She tapped her chin lightly with her right index finger in a contemplative manner. "On the bright side, haven't you been wanting to do some remodeling in the kitchen anyway?"

Lucy, remembering this fact, heaved a large exhale, her eyes closing. "Yeah, I guess…" she murmured, feeling her anger subside for the time being.

"And you know," Levy continued knowingly, "Natsu and Happy wouldn't purposely set your kitchen on fire, it was an accident."

"I know…" Lucy admitted, her lips pulling down into a large frown. She opened her eyes.

Natsu and Happy would never purposely destroy her house, Lucy knew that. But, she supposed that it just made her a little bit angry that, because of his carelessness, she would wind up not only having to pay her rent, but an extra sum for contractors to come and repair the damage done. As it stood, Lucy could barely pay her rent as it was, since, for some reason, no matter how many missions she went on, she always seemed to never have enough money. But…Natsu, when she had caught him earlier in the day…he had seemed so guilty about what he'd done.

And now, Lucy felt almost remorseful. She felt like she had overreacted. After all, it was just a kitchen. No one had gotten hurt, besides Natsu when she had smacked him over the head, of course.

"Maybe I…was too strict on him? Too mean?" Lucy asked aloud, her voice full of dejection. She began picking at the table, her fingernail scratching against the light grains.

Erza snorted as she folded her armored arms, the sweet roll consumed, only leaving two miniscule crumbs in its wake. "I would have punished him," she said darkly.

Lucy shivered. Everyone knew that Erza had a bit of a sweet tooth, so, it was a no brainer that she naturally loved to be in the kitchen. Therefore, if Natsu had destroyed Erza's kitchen, rather than Lucy's…well, the blonde highly doubted that anyone would have ever seen the fire dragonslayer again. Erza was damn scary.

Levy only shrugged. "I don't know, Lu-chan…"

The celestial mage then sighed, completely at a loss. What was she supposed to do now? She had told Natsu that she had wanted a real apology from him, but, now she felt as though she were the one who owed him an apology. Was she supposed to just come out and say that she was wrong?

"This is so frustrating!" Lucy scoffed to herself.

Why wasn't anything ever simple when it was related to Natsu?

And how was she supposed to make up with him anyway? Make him food? While that idea did seem plausible, Lucy shrugged it off; after all, she didn't exactly have a kitchen to cook food for him in the first place. A mission maybe? Natsu always liked to go on missions, being the adrenaline junkie he was. Perhaps she could select one for just the two of them, like the last mission, and they could reconcile that way. And, just for his sake, she would pick something that was remotely difficult, something challenging that he would enjoy. And that way, she would even get some money towards her rent and damage-repair fees.

She smiled to herself. "Okay, I got it…"

"Hm?" Levy hummed, blinking. "Got what?"

Lucy's grin stretched. "Nothing, Levy-chan, I'm just going to go make up with Natsu." Standing up, the blonde immediately sought out her companion, scanning quickly through the throngs of people in the guild. However, despite her search, Lucy found that she couldn't catch sight of the familiar ball of energy with pink hair that usually dashed through people, causing problems and starting fights.

Strange…he had been present just a little while ago, Lucy knew. She kept looking, but, after a few minutes of searching and coming up empty handed, she pouted.

"Just where did he go?" she muttered, glaring at the many people who weren't Natsu. Slowly, the girl sank back into her chair, her arms crossed over her ample chest in an obvious show of irritation. "Well, whatever…"

She would find him later. And then she would apologize if he didn't do so first.

o0o

Natsu hadn't shown up at the guild for the rest of that day. And, more or less, Lucy was disappointed. She had been expecting him to bombard her with apologies and pleads for forgiveness. She hadn't expected to be abandoned. So, she trudged home, Natsu weighing on her mind.

Was he angry with her for yelling at him? She really hoped not… Lucy knew that when she was angry, she tended to say things that she didn't really mean. Like the filter in her mind decided to go on lunch break. And only after she had cooled down would she realize that she had truly said something without rationally thinking it over. And then she would feel guilty about the situation—even if she had had the right to be mad.

Like today, for instance.

Dejectedly, Lucy pried open the door to her apartment, the scent of ash drifting to her nose. She would have to fix her kitchen soon…she wouldn't be able to stand the smell of smoke and ash in her house for very long. Lucy shut the door with a sigh and flipped on the light switch.

Only to find Natsu in her apartment. Again.

"Hey, Luce…" he greeted weakly, a small smile on his face.

She only gaped at him, wide-eyed. "What are you _doing_ here?" she asked after a while, licking her lips out of anxiety. Her brown gaze traveled him up and down, cautiously drinking in his appearance.

He was covered in head to toe with soot and ash, even his face, which had grime smeared all over it.

Natsu winced as though she had poked him with a skewer. "I know…" he mumbled. "You don't want to see me for a while, right?" He paused to cough and then sneeze, both actions causing a cloud of ash to rise. "But, I just wanted you to know that I'm really sorry for wrecking your kitchen…" The way he looked down at his sandal-free feet, which were also covered in ash, reminded Lucy of a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar.

She almost melted at the sight. Seeing Natsu look so downcast was a rare sight. He was almost always cheerful, a large smile lighting up his face. But now, with a guilty frown, he couldn't have looked more different than his usual self.

"Natsu…" she said, holding out her hand. "I – "

But he stopped her with one look, shaking his head, ash flying everywhere. "I know, Luce, you said a proper apology…and I'm not very good at that, you know…so…I did what I thought I should do, and I know it's not going to completely fix the problem but…" He trailed off and motioned for Lucy to look behind him at her decimated kitchen.

Interested, Lucy took a few steps closer to the dragonslayer and then side-stepped him, eager to know what he was talking about. And then, she saw it. Her kitchen that had been charred black, ash and soot coating the walls thickly, with her cooking utensils half-melted, was…clean. Well, not _clean_, but cleaner than it had been in the morning. The walls were less black, the soot had been wiped off of her counters, all of the ruined utensils had been thrown away and replaced…all that really stood out was the fire-damage done to the wall directly behind the stove.

Absolutely stunned, Lucy whirled on Natsu, regarding his form again. The way he was blanketed in black ash, the way his clothes were all stained with soot, how every inch of his skin was painted with inky-like blackness, even his toes. The puzzle pieces fell into place with an almost audible click.

"Did you…did you do this?" she meekly wondered, pointing to her reassembled kitchen.

Natsu shrugged, soot flowing off him in waves and mingling in the stale air of her apartment. "I know it doesn't completely make up for what me and Happy did, but…it helps, right, Lucy?" He chuckled, still looking half-afraid as if she would turn tail and beat him over the head again with a spoon.

Lucy, feeling tears well up in her eyes, choked out, "You idiot…" She crossed her arms.

He only blinked at her owlishly, appearing shocked. Did she not like that he had cleaned her kitchen? Wendy had told him that he should attempt to clean up the mess he had made, she had said it would be the best way to apologize to Lucy.

"How long were you in here?" Lucy asked, looking all over the walls and the ceiling as if she were inspecting the work he had done.

Natsu rubbed the top of his head, fingers digging into his scalp. "Dunno…since this morning?" He shrugged as if it were no big deal and stretched his arms behind his back.

"This morning? Natsu, it's seven at night…have you been cleaning this whole time?"

"Hm, yeah…" And now that he thought about it… "I'm _starving,_" he whined, throwing his head back as his stomach growled accordingly.

"Well…I would cook you something, but…" Lucy left the sentence hanging, an amused smile on her face. Afterwards, she burst out with laughter, clutching her stomach.

Natsu, seeing his friend double over in giggles, felt his own silly grin spread, and he too laughed.

"Looks like I won't be cooking anything for a while," Lucy mused to herself. "I wonder how long the contractors will take to fix all this…" She sighed, crossed her arms, and began assessing the damage again.

Maybe it was the lighting, or maybe it was the fact that Natsu had spent hours scrubbing her kitchen, but the damage suddenly didn't look all that bad. It was noticeable, and definitely needed to be fixed, but it wasn't as if there were a gaping hole in her wall.

Natsu hung his head sheepishly again, seeming incredibly sorry for his incompetence. "Well, Luce, it might not be much, but I swiped this mission from the board. It could help pay for the repairs," he said hopefully as he dug into his back pocket. After fishing around for a good few minutes, he removed a crumpled piece of paper and smoothed it out. The dragonslayer handed it to Lucy, an expectant look on his tanned and grime-covered face.

_Bandit Wu, a lethal escaped convict and weapons meister who has last been spotted around the area of the Waas Forest. He is a user of requip magic and has a stock of unfathomable explosives, traps, guns and various knives. His reward for capture alive is 2,000,000 Jewels._

Above this little blurb, which caught Lucy's eye immediately, was the face of a gruff, scruffy-looking cowboy with a gnarly, tangled auburn beard that ran up the sides of his face and underneath his nose. She grimaced at the ugly image, hands tightening around the paper.

"2,000,000 Jewels for this guy?" she muttered. Coyly, she flashed Natsu a grin. "We can do that."

* * *

_**So? Thoughts? I had fun writing the little "fight" between the two of them, it just seemed so... Natsu and Lucy, you know? And of course, Natsu just being a clueless sweetheart at the end just makes it even better ;) And then there's the fateful encounter between Natsu and Galahad! :O Hmm? DO I sense some jealous rivalry on the horizon? You'll just have to wait and see...**_

_**Suilen:** Lol, well are you talking the literal sense of the word or the common meaning? Cuz, I think you'd have to ask him yourself about his father XD But, anyway. Nah, I don't think he's a bastard, per say... I think he just knows what he wants and isn't afraid to do anything to get it. I'm glad that you like him though ;) but I don't think I was planning on giving people the "creeps" but that's fine too as long as it's the good kind of "creeps" XD Thanks for the review! Can't wait to hear more from you :D**  
**_

_**TooLazy:** Ahaha, evil? Well I can't say yes or no, but I can say that he'll be a big part of the plot in the future ;) And yeah, poor Gajeel. If I had been him, I wouldn't have thought twice about ripping a stranger into shreds for bringing up something so personal. Where is Erza? That's a good question... If she'd been around, I doubt he would have even said two words to Lucy before she pointed a blade to his throat XD And yes. Maybe he's secretly a cake thief...**  
**_

_**dog's paw burning in hot ash:** Thank you, thank you :) Glad to know that you liked it! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter :D**  
**_

_**Wide-Eyed-Wonderer:** Thank you very much :) I'm glad to hear that you liked the last chapter so much! As for that NaLu canon thing though...I'm sad to say that it was a misconception /: What he really meant got muddled up in the translating unfortunately. Someone asked him that if Natsu and Lucy had a child, what the child's name would be, and Mashima-sensei responded that he hadn't thought about it, so it would be named, "Nashi" (lit. "Nothing"). I believe someone said that the translation was "Not here yet", but that is false D: As much as I wanted this to be canon, my skeptical side had to do a bit of researching first, and I discovered all of this... Le sigh. Yet another disappointment, ne? How I wish it were true! But, anyway, I'm looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter!**  
**_

_**black thorn angel: **Hello friend :D Just shoot me a quick email when you're ready to start ;) I'll try my best to be on the ball about it, but with it being senior year, things might get kind of crazy haha! Anyway, hope you liked this chapter as much as the last one, though this one's a bit of a filler ;3 As for Galahad being the villain, well, you;ll just have to wait and see ;)**  
**_

_**Cupcake-Lover-1374:** Thank you, thank you, my darling ;) Hoping this chapter impressed as well with it's fluffiness!**  
**_

_**Amychama248:** Yep, Galahad's going to make thing pretty interesting in Fairy Tail, I can say that much :3 As for Natsu and Galahad meeting, as you can see, Natsu hasn't taken to him yet, and he just doesn't know why (oh, Natsu...) As for your theories, well, the might come true, considering I have no idea what they are, but I can tell you this... This haven't even started yet. It's going to be one crazy adventure filled with twists and turns and heartache and love!**  
**_

_**DanaeMariSkywalker:** Oh, someone who knows about the original Galahad :) Wow, I must say I'm impressed! I learned about him in my Brit Lit class a while ago, and while the characterization just wasn't very fitting, I just knew the name was perfect, you know? I also made it kind of ironic, since, well, the two are practically polar opposites! . Ah, me and my lame sense of humor... Anyway. Boggarts? Haha! Wow, I never thought about it in that light, but I guess I can see the resemblance a bit ;) It's a good thing Galahad is a whole lot nicer to look at, ne? And yes...Oh, poor Gajeel. He's, like, my second favorite male character so I just had to mess with him a little bit. As for Natsu... I have no idea! That's a good question... Maybe he was out fishing with Happy again? Or picking a fight with Gray?**  
**_

_**KawaiiOdango:** He does, doesn't he? I just had this image in my head while I was writing (it practically made me drool...) so I'm glad I managed to properly convey that into words! But, yes, he is a bit of a douche... XD Sexual tension FTW! God, I just love NaLu sexual tension...it's so fun to mess around with! And it makes me sad that there's hardly any in the manga. Sure, there's a few instances of Natsu being a pervert (aka. walking in on Lucy when she naked/half-undressed or trying to peep), but that's about it. Mashima-sensei, y u no make NaLu sexual tension!? . Anywhoser, thank you, thank you, I'm happy to know that you received him well :) Looking forward to your thoughts on the next chapter!**  
**_

_**xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx: **Haha, your poor shirt! I love characters like Galahad, because I know exactly what you mean :) There's just something about them that you like even though they're (most likely) the villain, or going to cause trouble. That's how I was with Gajeel! I like him right off the bat, even though he was kinda twisted... But, now, he's like...I can't even...gahhhh. I just love Gajeel.**  
**_

_**Beautiful Sensations:** Well, I just wanted to tell you that I FREAKING LOVE YOUR REVIEWS! Ahem. I appreciate trying to avoid the one liner reveiws, because, as you said, nothing but praise gives the author nothing to work on! Which is why I try and do the same and leave long, plentiful reviews ;3 As for my writing... Well, I think you just made my day :D Truthfully, I'm very self conscious of my writing, and I get so nervous when I post up a new chapter, thinking, "Oh, God, what if I missed something... What if I left a plot hole? What if I spelled something wrong?!" So having you say that really makes me feel good about myself. Thank you :D I do suppose that Galahad is a bit creepy (well, to Lucy at least!) As for his love, well I can't say anything yet, because it would give too much away, but, feel free to speculate ;) And yes, I did take the last name "Finnick" from Catching Fire XD For some reason, I just felt like it fit, you know? GaLe is like my favorite pairing, next to NaLu (Gruvia and Jerza coming in close behind them) so I couldn't like, not put them in the story XD I just had to go out of my way and put a little GaLe in there to ease my poor, over used, shipper heart XD Ah! I'm so glad to know that Natsu isn't OOC! It's one of the biggest things I worry about sometimes... XD Hoping that you liked this filler chappie!**  
**_

_**GoldenRose Tanya:** Haha! Well, who knows? (Oh, wait...I do XD) Maybe she is, maybe she isn't ;) Only time will tell!**  
**_

_**Blue-Pheonix311:** Haha yeah, everyone loves a good love triangle, ne? NaLu FTW! :D Looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter!**  
**_

_**Axelx3:** Have you seen the OVA yet?! If so, do you know enough Japanese to know if what I thought went on during the bathhouse scene is right? I could've sworn they were interrogating her about her feelings for Natsu, and I really don't want to be wrong! XD**  
**_

_**TheLingeringWolf:** Thank you :D I'm hoping to hear more from you in the future!**  
**_

_**KinKitsune01:** Methinks you might be right ;) But, of course, I can't say anything XD He's going to be a major part of the plot in the future, so hold on tight! :D**  
**_

_**TheOneMagic:** Haha! I have to say, your rant made me laugh! I loved seeing the contrast between the people who dislike him and the people who like him, it's really interesting! And don't worry, in no way were you rude ;) Interesting take on things, by the way, I must say XD Sounds like you really want Natsu to punch Galahad's face in, ne?**  
**_

_**QueenP19:** Hopefully there will come a time when Natsu does just as you said, but, for now, I'm afraid I can't tell ;) And Thanks! I love Gajeel, in case you didn't see my little rants above XD He's one of my favorite characters in the whole series! And I adore GaLe, like, seriously. In order of canon-ness, I think, it's Alisca, Jerza, Gale, Nalu, Gruvia. But, of course, that's just my opinion ;)**  
**_

_**BF:** Have you watched the OVA yet?! OMGJDHAOIJEFJNHPDUHAIUEHRPAH FKSDJ. TOO MANY FEELS. I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP, I SWEAR. Ahem. Anyway. Thank you, thank you :) Glad to know that my story just made it all that much better :D And too crude? Never. Honey, I have just about the crudest sense of humor a woman could have (it amazes me that my boyfriend isn't weirded out by this...but, it's whatever)! Unfortunately, my family has issues producing female offspring, it seems...so... I'm stuck with 3 brothers and of course, all of the over-protective older cousins (who also happen to be male) . The only females in my family are my mom, my aunts, and my two cousins, both of whom are 5. Le sigh. Oh, the life of a tomboy... And love interest for Lucy? Welp. Saw through me, didya? Ah, well, whatevs XD. And yes. Jealous!Natsu, so HOT. Thanks for the review! Hoping to hear more of your thoughts!**  
**_

_**misstirius:** Thank you for being honest :) I appreciate that! Hopefully, I can manage to keep you interest :3 No hard feelings if I can't though, ne? I'll try my best! I'll tell you this, Galahad is important to the story, really important. He turns out to be one of the biggest driving factors later on, so, hopefully I can keep your attention with that :)**  
**_

_**Disappear500:** Once again, you have managed to make me literally laugh out loud! God! I love your little omake thing! As for the dialog thing, I'd actually love that! I have a feeling the readers would get a kick out of it too! PM me about it! :D**  
**_

_**Wasabi-kun:** Omgggggggg. Lol! I honestly can't stand most of the fics like that... Especially the "badass" ones... Like, I have no problems with her being a BAMF or anything, it's just that the plot's so overused, you know? Like the typical, "Lisanna comes back to Team Natsu, Lucy leaves out of jealousy/because Natsu wants her to/because Natsu thinks she's weak, and then she comes back, totally a BAMF with new powers and acting totally OOC." Gr. Really irritates me. Which is why, actually, I came up with this one... I wanted NaLu, but I wanted it to be different, but at the same time, something that could be relatable and not AU. So I hope I'm accomplishing that goal! :) Also, meloves GaLe. Like, seriously. Favorite pairing next to NaLu :3 They're just so perfect together! And if Mashima-sensei doesn't put them together and make them have cute babies, I will take your words to heart and choke a bitch. Really. And yes. FIGHT. Even me, the author, can't wait until Natsu finally loses it and just punches his face in... muahaha. NALU!**  
**_

_**Suzu-Chii:** lol! It's where I got the name from, as most people have suspected ;) But I just thought it was kinda fitting, you know? Hoping you liked this chapter and the first Natsu/Galahad encounter! Let me know what you think!**  
**_

_**GuiltyCrown09:** First of all, thank you for being the first reviewer for the previous chapter! :D Anyway. Galahad's sudden appearance can only be a bad omen, ne? After all, things like this never end well! I hope to hear more from you in the future! :D  
_


	7. The Rule

_**Voila! Chapter 7! And OMG you guys! I reached the magical number 100! Woohoo! :D Special shout out goes to **_**Dyvee**_** for being the 100th reviewer! And thanks to everyone else too who made this possible! You guys are the best! :)  
**_

_**Okay, now onto more serious matters. Some of you have been leaving reviews about "Nashi"... Well, I'm sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but that it a FALSE RUMOR. It pains me, it really does... Someone mixed up what he, Mashima-sensei, said and posted it on the internet, which someone else saw and then spammed every NaLu and Fairy Tail site with... So, just to make this clear, Natsu and Lucy having a baby girl named Nashi is just a false rumor. Please don't go spreading it around, it gets people's hopes up D: Like mine D: You guys have no idea how I wish this were true, though! And I'm pretty sure every other NaLu shipper feels the same!  
**_

_**Ahem. Now that that's cleared up! Go on, my lovelies, read the chapter and enjoy! Review too, don't be shy!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Rule**_

* * *

"Oi! Jiji, what do you mean?" Natsu demanded hotly, slamming his clenched fist down on Makarov's small, wooden desk. It creaked under the pressure.

Lucy frowned, half-tempted to pinch her partner on the arm for his rude tone. "Natsu," she scolded, earning herself a sideways glance that made her shiver from the intensity. "But, Master," she turned to the older man; her eyes betrayed her distraught feelings, "why is Galahad coming with us on our mission?"

That was one thing that Lucy did not want. Galahad wasn't exactly a threat, per se, but he definitely made Lucy feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the fact that he was simply a little too charming for his own good. Or, maybe it was the fact that he always seemed to be smirking, his lips twitching upwards at the very ends—as if he knew something that no one else did. Either way, it seemed that Natsu was displeased with the arrangement as well.

Makarov heaved a great sigh, his tiny body slumping, but his gray eyes were ever-sharp when he said rather sagely, "Galahad is the newest member in Fairy Tail, and as such, I want him to get more accustomed to missions with experienced teams…" He rubbed his old, wrinkled face with his leathery hands.

There was a low-pitched rumble from the fire dragonslayer in the room. "But why our team?" Natsu growled. Fire ignited in his fisted hands, a silent declaration of anger, and it snapped and crackled as if vouching for the dragonslayer's distaste of the idea.

"He specifically asked to be paired with you and Lucy." The Master glared at his "son", warning the impudent brat to keep his place. Then Makarov groaned and shook his head from side to side. "And I don't blame him, M'dear," he suddenly snickered, casting Lucy a leer that made her blanch. "Anyway, I don't know why you're opposing this so much, but it's time to put your personal feelings aside. He is your _nakama_ now, and I expect you to treat him as such." And the tone that he used made it known that his word was law.

Despite his size, the Master had a tone and an aura that was bigger than all of the powerhouses of Fairy Tail combined. Bigger than Erza, or his grandson Laxus, or even Gildarts. He proved that even the smallest man could have an incredible impact through aura alone.

Galahad was joining them on their mission whether they wanted him to or not.

Lucy looked down at her twiddling hands, watching her fingers pick at each other nervously. She could handle this. After all, Galahad was nothing but an arrogant prick. Nothing she hadn't handled before. But, she thought, as she glanced at her livid partner, she didn't know if she could handle the tension between the two males. Natsu, already high strung, would be itching to pick a fight with Galahad, and Lucy wasn't sure if she could sit by and watch it happen.

She didn't know if it was just Natsu's pride, or if it was the after effects of their…night together, but every time she had seen him come into contact with the newcomer, he had been unbelievably tense. This worried her. Natsu was usually very friendly—unabashedly amiable. The after effects might have been stronger than she had originally thought which, all things considered, could be quite the problem.

"Yes, Master," Lucy replied softly, her gaze downcast to her hands. They kept wringing and wringing.

"Tch," Natsu grunted. He glared angrily at Makarov, his eyes burning with something unknown, and stormed out of the office. His hands threw the door back and it collided with the wall as it swung open, shaking the bookcases and rattling everything that cluttered Makarov's desk.

The Master scoffed as he stared after the angry dragonslayer. What an ignorant "son" of his. So disrespectful. The old lecher snorted.

"I'll…" Lucy coughed. "I'll go after him before he does anything stupid," she assured her Master, waving kindly, and then quickly left. She shut the door behind her softly. "Natsu!" she shouted after the figure stomping down the hall. "Natsu!"

And she chased after him determinedly, her clenched fists swinging by her sides. Lucy had to make a dash in order to catch up with her obviously angry partner, and, when her hand landed on his muscled shoulder, she yanked him back forcefully, trying to turn him around.

"Natsu!" she repeated, exasperated, staring into his eyes.

He was glaring, she noticed. Not at her, but at something unseen, something going on in his brain. And his hands were on fire, not just sizzling, but actually on _fire_. The red-orange flames dousing his hands cracked each time one of his fingers so much as twitched.

"Natsu, snap out of it. Get ahold of yourself!"

Hearing her voice, he blinked…and the sudden rage was gone, along with the flames. Dissipated. Like they had never been there in the first place. Startled, he looked down at Lucy, feeling her grip on his shoulder tighten a certain degree.

Natsu took a deep breath and shook off her hand. His tanned fingers worked themselves through his salmon-pink hair, tugging and pulling. "Sorry, Lucy…I just…" He let out a hissing breath, eyes narrowing once more. "I just don't like that Galahad guy…he…there's something off about him."

"Natsu, I know. Believe me, he's arrogant and vain, but like Master said, we need to put our personal feelings aside for now and just get this over with. It can't be that bad, anyway. The mission should only take about a week, maybe even less if we're lucky."

But, Natsu only scowled. "I don't like him, Luce. He…you…" And he broke off with another growl, appearing frustrated.

"What about me?" Lucy pressed as she bridged her pale arms across her ample bosom.

"Yesterday…I think he might have threatened you," the dragonslayer muttered darkly. His pink eyebrows were pulled downwards over his narrowed eyes, a twisted frown upon his lips where a smile usually sat.

Lucy paused, thinking this over. "Threatened me?" she asked in an unbelieving tone.

"He said that he had _no intention of being friends_ with you. It was weird."

Lucy felt a chill run down her spine. Such ominous words…and so confusing. It almost didn't make sense. Galahad had been nothing but friendly towards her, if not a little _too_ friendly at times. So, Lucy wondered; had he really said that? Or was Natsu, because of _certain circumstances_, making up rumors about Galahad without even knowing why himself? Perhaps he was acting defensively with his intentions buried in his own subconscious.

"What's weird?" a smug voice asked.

Both parties in the hallway, Lucy and Natsu, jolted at the familiar presence of Galahad, standing there. His frame was slightly intimidating as he leaned over and pressed his face dangerously close to Natsu's, so close that Lucy swore, with just a tiny push on either end, the two males would collide head first. Galahad was smirking.

"You know, I'm beginning to think that you _really_ don't like me," his voice lilted to Natsu, crude amusement laced underneath in an almost teasing manner.

Natsu's fingers twitched, the muscles in his forearms reacting with vigor. Oh, how he wanted to rip this bastard to shreds. So badly. So, so badly. But, a small hand on his rapidly clenching fist halted him, and pale, clean fingers closed over his own. Lucy pulled him back.

"Sorry, Galahad," she said. "Natsu's been…out of sorts lately, hasn't had much sleep so he's grumpy."

"Oh, I see, I see…that must be it," the illusionist replied with a small laugh. But, despite this acknowledgement, his eyes were knowing, glowing with unhidden humor. He enjoyed seeing Natsu get all riled up.

Lucy scowled at him lightly, trying oh, so hard to keep her appearance civil and neutral. "We'll see you later for the mission."

"Yes, indeed." Galahad waved, a smile on his handsome face, green eyes alight again.

And Lucy turned around, tugging on Natsu's hand, forcing him to leave the very obviously tense-aired hallway. It almost felt that at any second, one of the two would snap and suddenly lunge at the other in animalistic rage. It was an unpleasant feeling, Lucy decided.

"Lucy," Natsu grunted, try to pull back, "what are you doing? I need to talk to him."

She only huffed and kept tugging, rounding the curves of the upper floor until she finally found the stairs leading to the bar hall. "No." She looked over her shoulder at him, a hard look set on her face.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted. He yanked his hand back again, effectively making the blonde stumble and let go, grasping the wall for support as she lost her balance.

"Natsu," she said equally exasperated as she straightened herself. "You can't go back, you'd just get into a fight, and that's the last thing you need right now. Just let it go."

"How can I let it go? He's challenging me, I can see it in his face…"

Feeling defensive now, Lucy grabbed onto his bicep, her grip crushing. "I don't care if he's _challenging_ you, you're acting like a baited dog… Just stop, okay? You're letting him get to you, and honestly, I highly doubt he's trying to challenge you," she told him sternly, her brown eyes hot with passion.

Hardly anyone, in the guild or outside of it, was stupid enough to purposely try and start a fight with Natsu. Though he was an incurable idiot, he was practically unbeatable when he was serious about something. And she was sure Galahad knew this.

"Even if he's not, he's acting like a prick, especially around you," came the dragonslayer's retort. "It's my job as your _nakama_ to protect you from guys like him. What if he tries something? He's already made a threat."

"Natsu, stop treating me like a child," Lucy ordered, her face turning red from anger and embarrassment.

How dare he suggest that she couldn't look after herself!

"I'm not," he insisted, eyes burning, mouth in a gnarled frown. "You're obviously defenseless around guys like him with pretty faces. I'm just trying to protect you."

Defenseless? Lucy fumed silently. Was that what he thought? That she let her guard drop around other, good-looking men? That she had such low dignity?

"If he tries to hurt me, then I'm perfectly capable of handling it on my own. You're my best friend, Natsu, _not_ my keeper." Lucy glared at him, a scowl on her tight, full lips, and her brows furrowed together. The expression held so much pent-up emotion, like a tiger in a cage just waiting to be released. However, the tiger would stay dormant for now.

She promptly turned on her heel, still glowering at him, and thundered down the stairs, leaving Natsu by himself in the hallway, stunned.

What had he said wrong?

o0o

"Oi, Flame-brain…stop your brooding and just apologize already," Gray groaned, watching as his idiot of a rival gorged himself on everything he set his sights on.

Food shoveled into his mouth, Natsu only gurgled out, "Why should I apologize?" Bread crumbs, charred chicken meat and soggy vegetables spewed from the young man's mouth, landing in chunks on the table, on his over-filled plate, and, much to the ice mage's disgust, on Gray's shirt.

Without thinking twice, Gray discarded the loose-fitting apparel, feeling much more comfortable in his naked skin.

He groaned again, however, when the dragonslayer beside him obviously gave no recognition to the fact that he had been very in the wrong. "Look, idiot, you were wrong, alright? Just tell Lucy you're sorry, it's that simple."

Natsu looked up, his mouth still piled full, food bits and crumbs clinging to the skin of his tanned face and around his mouth. He swallowed noisily. "But I'm not sorry," he said blandly, licking his fingers afterwards. "That guy, Galahad, obviously has it out for her, and I'm just doing my job as her friend. I'm not going to be sorry for protecting my friends."

Gray sighed as he pinched the area of his nose that laid between his eyes. "Galahad is our _nakama_ now. And you know that we don't have to protect each other from _nakama_. It's the first unspoken rule of the guild."

Hearing this, Natsu slowed in his eating and frowned. He wiped his face. "I know he wouldn't try to purposely hurt Lucy, at least, he better not," he snorted, crossing his bare, well-built arms.

"Then what's the problem?" Gray lifted one of his eyebrows and it disappeared behind his mess of inky black hair.

"I…" Natsu frowned, his eyebrows pulling together in a tell-tale sign of contemplation. What exactly was the problem?

Galahad didn't seem like he wanted to physically hurt Lucy, and that was usually Natsu's biggest concern with men hanging around his partner. But, in his heart, there remained this tense feeling as though he didn't want men surrounding the small blonde… He just couldn't sort the reason out.

"I don't know," he grumped after a long pause.

Gray snorted with a roll of his dark eyes. This was going nowhere, and fast. "Okay, well, whatever the issue is, you were wrong. Just go tell Lucy that you're sorry and that you were wrong and everything will be fine."

"But I wasn't wrong!" Natsu protested heatedly, glaring at his food and then at Gray, who slapped a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes.

"Idiot. The first rule when dealing with women: when you're wrong, you're wrong and when you're right, you're still wrong."

Confused, the dragonslayer only scratched the top of his head. How did that make any sense? If he was wrong, then of course he was wrong, but if he was right…he was still wrong? What kind of rule was that? And why hadn't he heard of it before?

"So…" he muttered. "No matter what happens, I'm wrong and I have to apologize?"

The ice mage pursed his lips, and cast his eyes skywards in a speculative manner. He shrugged after a while, his whole body flowing with the movement. "Basically," he said.

Grabbing another handful of food, much to Gray's annoyance, Natsu scoffed—a deep, throaty sound. "And where did you get that from, you womanizer?" He crammed another load of spicy food into his mouth, chewing for a brief half-second, and swallowing his bite almost whole.

Gray Fullbuster wasted no time by responding quickly, almost fearfully, with, "Erza."

A splutter, then, a quiet, "Oh…"

…

"Why aren't you going to apologize?"

"Dammit, you freaky stripper, I'll go when I'm ready!"

o0o

_How could he?_ Lucy thought furiously. How could he even think to suggest that she would…_lower_ her defenses around some pretty-boy? She was a girl, yes, and she did like men, but she would never, _ever_ degrade herself like that—like some dirty street rat that had nothing better to do with her time. What did he take her for? A boy-chaser?

The thoughts were bitter in her mind, leaving her mouth twisted in anger.

She had fallen in love with an idiot; that was for sure.

Did he not see that she wasn't interested in Galahad, or that she was more than capable of handling her own situations? She thought that she had made herself pretty clear. Though, when it concerned Natsu, clear wasn't clear enough unless she had told him specifically what she was thinking, quite blandly and simply, to his face.

Impossibly frustrated, with both herself and Natsu's oblivious behavior, Lucy let her head fall onto the wooden table in the bar hall and it collided with a nasty-sounding thunk that left her wincing in regret. "Ow…" she whined miserably. The blonde turned her head to the side so that her cheek rested on the table and she stared out into the throngs of people in the hall.

Sunlight streamed from the outside world, illuminating the smoke curling in the air, as ale spilled on the floor and the music played softly in the background while simultaneous spats and arguments broke out here and there, and of course, covering everything else like a blanket, there was laughter. And then there was Natsu… She could see him sitting at a table with Gray in the mess hall, gorging himself with food that he probably didn't need to eat. He didn't look even a bit remorseful; in fact, he looked just as hyper and as obnoxious as usual. He just kept eating and eating, pausing only a few rare times to answer a question that Gray had asked, or to burp.

She sighed. Maybe she just needed a little time away from this all in order to collect her feelings. Maybe she really did need that day out shopping—nothing but her, new clothes, and maybe a close friend or two.

It certainly sounded nice.

Lucy hummed to herself, picturing it in her mind, a silly smile on her face as she gently let her eyelids fall.

The sunlight outside, birds singing as they flutter by, a cool breeze, bags upon bags of new clothes, and not a care in the world. Especially not a single care about what Natsu was doing, or what he was thinking about, or if he was angry with her. And _especially_ not a single care about whether Natsu thought _she_ was angry with _him_. Nope. Just her, and her clothes, and her thoughts—that would have nothing whatsoever to do with Natsu Dragneel. Yeah… She hummed delightedly, relishing the feeling that washed over her.

But, that feeling didn't last long; she didn't miss the harsh sound of boots striking wood. Or the deep, throaty chuckle that came not long afterwards. "Feeling down, Lucy?"

She knew that voice, Lucy decided, her blonde brows crinkling in distaste. Galahad. Perfect.

The blonde groaned, peeling open a single eye to peer at him, trying to guess what he could have possibly wanted with her. But, his smug poker face was as good as ever, unfortunately. She could only give out a sigh and close that one eye again.

"That's too bad…" she heard him say. "A fight with Natsu, was it?"

She stiffened, her jaw clenching at the thought of Natsu—the fire breathing, food cramming, idiot that she associated with by choice.

"I see…" he murmured, his voice getting closer and closer. She breathed evenly through her nose, trying to ignore the very obvious fact that he was sitting down in the chair right next to her, and that he was much too close for her taste. She heard him chuckle, as if amused by her conspicuous ignorance of his presence. "Is there any way I can help?"

Bristling, she impulsively muttered, "Not if you can't take me out to go shopping." She sat up then, eyes wide, realizing that she had just given him an open invitation.

Galahad, perched in a chair to her left, his green eyes gleaming with what looked like interest, puckered his lips and left one of his brows to drift upwards. "Is that a request?" he mused aloud, searching her face as if he would find the answer stamped on her forehead in bright red ink.

Lucy bit her lip, eyes darting elsewhere. "Actually, I – "

"Because I'd very much like to take you out."

The blonde sucked back whatever she had been about to say, her lips practically shriveling. She blinked. "I'm…sorry?"

He thought this was funny, it seemed, as he only began to laugh, a broad smile stretching across the tanned skin of his young face, showing perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth. Lucy swallowed roughly, her gaze much like that of a hawk's as she gawked at him. If it weren't for his cocky attitude, she knew that he probably would have been the all-around perfect man. And Lucy hardly ever handed out the term "perfect", nothing was ever perfect in life.

"You look upset," Galahad said with a simplistic shrug after calming himself. "I want to take you out for a good time, because I like seeing you smile."

How could such a vain man say such irresistible, heart-melting words? Was he _trying_ to make her swoon? Lucy thought hard about this. He probably was.

She only coughed though, feeling a blush spread across her cheeks, up to her ears, and down her neck. Twiddling a few fingers in her hair, tugging at knots, she tentatively asked, "Take me out…as in a date?" Her tone squeaked up a few octaves, much to her utter mortification.

She hadn't been on a real date in…what felt like years. But, in actuality, it was probably only around six months. Still, for her, that was a remarkably long time to be single and _stay_ single. Though she wasn't one to brag, Lucy knew that if she wanted a boyfriend, she could get one. Getting the _right_ one, however, proved to be a problem for her.

Had it really been that long, though, since she'd had a date?

Galahad took her surprised tone as one of that of distress and he quickly, but nonchalantly, covered himself with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Not a date, per say, just…an outing, between friends of course." Suggestively, he cracked a smirk, as if to say: _You interested?_

"Friends?" Lucy repeated slowly, unsurely, her brown, chocolaty gaze sweeping him over.

He frowned at her clear hesitation. "I'm very aware that Natsu doesn't like me, for whatever reason. I hoped that I could be friends with you at least, unless he wouldn't like that, in which case…" He trailed off, appearing…disappointed. _Genuinely_ disappointed.

Suddenly…she felt almost ashamed of herself. He was making it sound as if he were the victim of unfair judgment. Which, when she thought about it…he kind of was. She hadn't even given him a true chance, just because she had caught him leering at Mirajane—as if _every_ man didn't do that anyway—and she thought he was a little bit stuck up. Lucy huffed. Her late mother would have been appalled.

"No, no," she assured him quietly. "It's not that…"

Then, she sucked in a breath, feeling like she would regret the decision she was about to make.

"We can…go out for dinner, if you'd like. As…friends."

* * *

_**Dun, dun, dun! What?! Lucy and Galahad are friends?! What's with this sudden development? Where will it lead now? More importantly, what are they going to do on their date?! What will Natsu do? So many questions... And all (or, at least, most) will be answered in due time (aka, the next chapter)! So what are you going to do, friends? Review? I hope so! Let me know about your thoughts! And also, what do you think about Gray's rule? I thought it was quite funny myself. And also quite true ;)**_

_**Dyvee:**__ As stated above, congrat__ulations! You are the 100th reviewer! I wish I had a prize to give you, but, sadly, I do not D: But, anyway. Congrats! I'm hoping to hear more fro__m you!__**  
**_

_**Beautiful Sensations:**__ OMG, yet __another long review... you know me so well! :3 I was actually walking through the pet store when I read your review, and I had to stop and just stand in the middle of the isle and read it XD So what if people think I'm weird. They can deal. Now. Can I just say that I love how you put input on basically everything that went on in the chapter? Really, that just makes my day! All of the one-liner reviews like "love it, update soon" irritate me because they don't have any depth! You, my friend, have plenty of depth! :D Ahem. I appreciate that you like Galahad :) He's been receiving a lot of hate, and since he's been portrayed as a "threat" to NaLu, I can understand it. But, as the author, I can honestly say that I like his character :3 So Yay! As for you speculations, I'm not gonna say anything *shifty eyes* XD I like hearing your predic__tions, so keep them up!__**  
**_

_**LinkLover123:**__ He __IS a cutie, isn't he? I could just picture that scene in my head, you know? A__nyway, thanks for the review! Looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter!__**  
**_

_**TooLazyToLogIn:**__ Ahaha, I see that XD A__s for tips, I suppose I have a few, but it would take a while to explain. Would you like to message me about it? I promise I don't bite ;) Galahad the cake thief! Lol, I like it! And yes, that would definitely mark him as evil...no one steals cake. Not from Erza and especially not from me. Gr. Like you, I don't really share well...I was a spoiled princess as a child :3 No shame. __Looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter!__**  
**_

_**Twistedkorn:**__ Thank you :) I plan on going on and your reviews help me get motivated! So hopefully I'll be hearing more from you in the future, ne? ;)__**  
**_

_**Axelx3:**__ Haha! It's too damn hard to wait for the subs knowing that there's NaLu in there... By the way, do you know if they've come out with subs yet? I've been searchin__g frantically for the past few days but I've been too lazy to check to__day (that, or, I'm just dreading the disappointment of finding out that they haven't put up the subs yet .)__**  
**_

_**Half-Demon-Cali:**__ Lol! Good to know! I wasn't sure, so I'm glad to have someone who actually bothered to look up what they were saying XD I don't have a__n English to Japanese dictionary and I suck terribly at spelling Japanese phonetically XD. I'm hoping that you'll like Galahad ;) He's presented as an obsticle, but honestly, I just love his character. Even though that just might be my author-biased__ opinion... XD Haha! I really hope your friends haven't set your kitchen on fire!__**  
**_

_**Wasabi-kun:**__ (Totally! I a__gree with you 100%! Like, if the story is about her training to get stronger, then sure. But suddenly appearing after a few years with a whole bunch of new powers and acting totally OOC... It grates on my nerves. And the whole 'Lisanna's back so goodbye Lucy!' thing makes me want to smash my head into a wall. Repeatedly. -_- +. Seriously, it's so OOC of EVERYONE that it's not even funny. Like, really. But, anyway...I need to stop ranting...) *deep breath* Okay. Phew, got that out of my system! I'm glad that Natsu was so cute last chapter :3 He really is like that a lot (take the cherry blossom tree incident-thing for example) so I felt like I just HAD to put it in there :) And yes! Fellow GaLe believer! My brethren! :D Seriously, if they're not canon by the end of the manga, I swear to all things holy that I will travel to __Japan and hold Mashima-sensei hostage until he changes it. I would do it, too. Rawr.__**  
**_

_**xxJcc161xx:**__ Thank you very much :) I'm hoping that you liked this chapter. Will I hear more from you in the future? I'm hoping so!__**  
**_

_**Dimondhearts:**__ Hi friend! Thanks for giving my fic a try, it makes me really happy! :D Now, I can tell you that things are just going to get more interesting! As the chapter__ shows, Natsu and Galahad really don't like each other, and more than likely, it's going to drive a wedge in the NaLu relationship...but every relationship needs some drama! I can't say anything more than that, but, you can probably guess what's going to happen in the next few cha__pers ;)__**  
**_

_**dog's paw burning in hot ash:**__ Lol! It's because he tends to act like that to a lesser degree so he doesn't really notice it __now XD In the manga and anime, Natsu is very protective of Lucy (even though he teases her constantly) so I'm just playing on that ;) And yes! I have the same feeling! Like, really...how can it NOT happen? Out of all the other pairings, I honestly think that next to Jerza and GaLe, NaLu has the best chance. And I'm trying not to be biased as a NaLu shipper, they just have more "moments" overall than any other __couple! :D__**  
**_

_**Suilen:**__ Lolol! Now, to that, I __don't know XD I probably should, shouldn't I? Ah, well, whatever. XD He does seem like a bit of a stalker, doesn't he? He's following Lucy a__round and asking her out on dates! The horror! Natsu, attack! Lol he really is too adorable sometimes, I agree! Like the time he uprooted the cherry blossom tree for Lucy when she was sick. I just wanted to be like that really annoying grandma and pinch his cheeks and then join in with Happy and say, "You liiiiiiiiiiike her!"__**  
**_

_**misstirius:**__ Lol yeah, Galahad won't be taking the center stage for a while, and as you can see, Natsu's "symptoms" are getting worse XD He just __wants to attack! As for the incident... Ohohoho~ D__on't worry, not everyone has forgotten *sly smile* ;)__**  
**_

_**the-clumsy-one:**__ Hello there! Thank you very much, it makes me happy to hear that :D I'm hoping you'll keep on__ reading because I would love to hear more of your thoughts in the future!__**  
**_

_**KHLostEmpress:**__ Lol! That's what everyone is saying__! And I totally agree __:3 He's just too cute for his own good!__**  
**_

_**KawaiiOdango:**__ YES, YES IT IS! MUAHAHA. Ahem. Lol __he really is a sex god...mou, these mental images of mine are driving me crazy! I've already fallen for him, even though he's in the way of right now XD And I agree with you. More SST! It's like Mashima-sensei answered our prayers with that OVA, ne? I was practically chanting at one point, "OH DAMMIT, JUST KISS, she's drunk, she won't remember__!" XD Ah, naughty, naughty, Neena! Thank you for putting my table back, btw ;) And I hope this chapter satisfied!__**  
**_

_**Betta Fische BF:**__ Have you seen it yet?! OMGJSDOAHRNRJFHNIUHRF I CAN__'T EVEN... Too much for my poor shipper h__eart! Haha, the sad thing is, that I already do that XD I compare real men to anime men. Gawd, I'm such a NERD. But that's okay :3 They like me in the nerd world :D Holy crap. You like Adherence as much as NaLu?! I am not worthy of such praise! *blush* I really hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter :) And as for Natsu getting injured...well, what if it wasn't Natsu getting injured? ;)__**  
**_

_**GuiltyCrown09:**__ Thank you very much! I hope this chapter satisfied as well :) Looking forward to your thoughts on it!__**  
**_

_**TheOneMagic:**__ Le sigh. This is true. Punching you__r nakama is strictly against the rules (the only exception being Natsu and Gray it seems XD) Lol! I'm glad you have such strong opinions, makes me happy! :D And yes! the OVA was AMAZING. Even though I couldn't really understand everything they were saying... *sweatdrop* But there was NaLu! And that's enough __for me, aye sir! Have you watched it yet?__**  
**_

_**Cupcake-Luver-1374:**__ Unfortunately, that was a false rumor D: I got so excited when I heard that news that I almost vomited rainbows...which, in case you were wondering, is exceed__ingly normal for a fangirl of my level. No need to worry about my mental health, nope... Anyway! As despressing as it is, it's the truth! __I can only hope that he eventually makes it true in the future .__**  
**_

_**CupCakesYummeh:**__ Thank you, thank you! Everyone thought Natsu was so freaking cute, and I have to agree! If my boyfriend did that to me, god, I would be a puddle of goo... Actually, if he blew up my __kitchen, he would be in BIG trouble, he knows not to set foot in my domain. XD Lol! What if those really were his dreams and his fears? Ahaha! I think I would probably pee myself! Don't be sorry, I've been having fangasms since __I watched the 4th OVA XD__**  
**_

_**Mirajane S and Erza S: **__Hmm, well that's up to Galahad ;) Who knows what's going on in that head of his! Also, thanks for being the first reviewer of the last chapter! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this ch__apter too! :D__**  
**_

* * *

_**Also, guys, if you didn't know, I have a one-shot collection going called "A Tail for Two". If you love NaLu, then I encourage you to go check it out! I updated it with the most recent chapter yesterday! :D  
**_


	8. The Game

_**Alright, well, I'm updating a bit earlier in the day today. Why? Well, because Neena is going to be performing in parades all day today! Yay. I thought about updating yesterday, but, after waking up at 6:30 AM (on my Saturday) to take the SAT...I was just like, nopenopenopenope. Sleep... Gawd, sleep is a wonderful thing. But, anyway. Here's a bit of an early update! And OMG you guys! I got, like, 30 reviews for the last chapter! Y'all make me feel so loved! You guys are wonderful!  
**_

_**Oh, and also, I've posted my first M-rated FT fic, (my second M-rated fic in all) and it's received lot's of positive feedback! If you want a nice, freakishly long (it was 25 pages in Word, in telling you; LONG) lemon, then go ahead and check it out!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Game**_

* * *

She couldn't believe she was doing this. She really, truly, absolutely, positively could _not_ believe that she was actually doing this… Had she lost her mind? _Dinner? _With _Galahad?_ What had gotten into her? The crazies, perhaps?

"It's official…" Lucy sighed to herself, shoulders slumping a considerable amount, as she stared in the mirror. She rubbed her small, dainty fingers in soothing, semi-circles along the bags under her eyes as she yawned, her mouth stretching wide. "I'm certifiably insane. Absolutely crazy." The blonde tiredly nodded at her reflection, eyes big and worried, and yet…

Shining with excitement.

"No, no," she corrected herself sternly. She glowered warningly at herself, pointing a strict finger at the mirror, glossed lips pursed. "I am not getting worked up over this," she said stubbornly, as if trying to convince herself. "It's just a stupid date; I've been on plenty of dates before." Then, she paused, blinking rapidly, a sudden thought coming to her. "And, besides, like he said, it's not even a date. It's just…an outing. Simply having dinner with a…an associate." Lucy chewed on her bottom lip.

She couldn't bring herself to use the word friend. Even after she had told Galahad that they could be friends, she just felt…strange using the term. Maybe it was because of the left over resentment she had for him, but, it didn't really matter. What mattered was the fact that she had, for some reason, actually agreed to have dinner with him.

Natsu would have been beside himself with anger, if he had only known.

At the thought of her partner, Lucy huffed, her perfectly plucked eyebrows trailing downwards and furrowing. She was still angry with him. He had claimed that he was only looking out for her, since he was _nakama_, but, would _nakama_ really underestimate, or belittle one another? No. No, they wouldn't. And it was for this precise reason that she was angry. She wasn't upset because he wanted to protect her—she had somewhat gotten used to that fact since he simply refused to _not_ protect her—she was just disappointed that he didn't believe that she could look after herself.

He usually wasn't so demeaning. Which was why she didn't completely understand. Natsu, being all about "getting stronger" and "protecting important things", almost always gave her the benefit of the doubt. And not just her, usually he gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. He had even told her, all the time, that he thought she was plenty strong. He'd told her that he believed in her power.

So…why didn't he now?

It almost felt like betrayal, if Lucy was being completely honest with herself.

She exhaled heavily, her coffee-colored eyes growing dim with disappointment.

Now, she, deep down, knew that he most likely—probably—wasn't behaving that way out of choice or on purpose. She kind of knew that it was because of…the unfinished mating. But still, his attitudes were giving her an emotional whiplash. One minute she was angry, the next she was guilty, after that she would be happy, and then she would be angry again.

Now was a perfect example. Just seconds ago she had been, well, not exactly happy, but content at least, and now she was feeling disappointed again. Emotion whiplash.

Lucy huffed, deciding that she had been brooding long enough. "Forget about Natsu," she ordered. "He's the whole reason why you're here right now, doing something completely…irresponsible." The celestial mage regarded herself in the mirror again.

Was she too dressed up?

She bit her lip again, tugging on the innocent piece of flesh between her incisors and her bottom teeth. Certainly, wearing a jean skirt and a frilly, lacy white top with cute earrings, sandals, and a matching purse wasn't too dressed up.

…Right?

Lucy dearly hoped so. She didn't want to underdress, in case Galahad picked something remotely upper-class, and she didn't want to overdress in case he picked something off the corner of Main Street. So, she had been hoping to go for something in-between. Not too fancy, but not too casual either.

Smoothing her hands over her skirt, patting it once, the once-heiress inspected her makeup, dabbling gingerly across her face, searching for blemishes or impurities, or, Mavis forbid, a mistake that she had made. Her peachy skin was smooth and glowering with just the right amount of powder, her cheeks were rosy and healthy-looking, and her eyes were…

Not perfect.

Lucy gasped as she found a small brown smudge close to the outside corner of her right eye. Smeared mascara or eyeliner, it seemed, but either way, she groaned in dismay. Eye makeup was especially hard to correct, for whatever reason. It liked to stick to the skin no matter what she did. So, in hopes that it might work, Lucy ran her finger under the tap to wet it and then began rubbing the smudge slowly, so as to not make a large red mark. Of course, it didn't exactly help, she noted sourly, as the smudge only lightened in color.

"Why…" she bemoaned, running her fingers over it again.

It looked as though she would have to try and cover it up with foundation and powder, which she sincerely hated doing. It clogged her pores. And Lucy prided herself on her baby-smooth, perfectly clear skin.

There was a rapt knocking sound from down the hall. The front door, Lucy realized a split second later.

"Coming!" she called out hurriedly, though she knew that the person on the other side more than likely couldn't have possibly heard her. Frantically, she grabbed her foundation, dotted some on her skin and rubbed it in profusely, leaving the skin by her eyes a little redder than she would have liked. Then she covered it with her power before shoving the small compact in her purse and stalking out of the bathroom.

Which, she noted dully, _still_ had no door.

Half running and half skipping, Lucy dashed to her door, frantically pushing back her perfectly fluffed bangs and tucking stray locks of hair behind her ears. Did she look alright? Well, it would have to be good enough.

Wait.

Lucy's hand paused as it hovered above her doorknob. Why was she…getting so excited about this? She was worried about her clothes, her hair, her makeup…things that she usually only worried about if she were around men that she had remote interest in. She had no interest whatsoever in Galahad. Even though he was ungodly handsome and he seemed to have no ill-will towards her, his cocky attitude was a bit of a turn-off, and…well, it just didn't fit. If that even made any sense.

Realizing that she had been simply standing at the door for a good few minutes, Lucy gasped before yanking it open, apologies all but ready to tumble out of her mouth.

"You looking stunning, if I may say," Galahad's sweetly masculine voice rumbled as soon as the door had been opened. He appraised Lucy with a single, appreciative look, his eyes glimmering like stars, and reached for her hand yet again. This time, he managed to bring it to his mouth for a chaste peck on top of her guild stamp, the exact same thing he had done on their first meeting.

Lucy removed her hand from his, though not quite as harshly as she had the past two times. She felt a small flush break out across her cheeks. "I…um, sorry, I forgot something," she lied smoothly, eyes darting elsewhere.

He only let out a chuckle of a laugh and held out his elbow, as if he wanted for her to take it. "Nervous?" he mused obnoxiously.

Lucy glared at him before pointedly walking down the steps and ignoring his offer completely.

Galahad laughed again. "You're cute when you're angry," he said as he turned to follow after her.

"I'm what?" Lucy spluttered, half-turning to fix him with a penetrating stare.

He smirked, winking. "Cute. You wrinkle your nose and glare; it's cute."

She snorted. Cute, he said. Bah. She wasn't about to take compliments from him.

As they strolled slowly down the sold stone streets of Magnolia, a pleasant sunset in the background, the conversation Galahad provided was polite, most of the time, and well-mannered. Of course, he had attempted at least once to link arms with her, which, Lucy had declared to be a no-no to herself. But either way, she was slowly changing her mind about him, as absurd as that sounded… When they were alone; he was less of a vain and arrogant young man, and more of a gentleman. It surprised Lucy, if she were to be completely honest.

She surprised herself as well. She wasn't usually the type to change her initial first opinions about someone, because, she usually had very good insight. So, for her to be changing her mind about a man that she had thought was nothing but a womanizer and had been irritated with, it was a big change. A really big one. In fact, Lucy wondered if her opinion of someone had ever been subject to potentially be changed like hers of Galahad, now. The only word that Lucy could use to describe this change, though, was surprise.

And it seemed that the surprises would be plentiful throughout the day.

When she was led to her favorite restaurant, a quiet, out of the way, bistro, she had to stop and ask,

"Why here?"

Galahad took the sight of the small building in, a smile gracing his lips. "This is the favorite restaurant of the woman I followed to Fairy Tail."

"Oh," Lucy murmured, feeling a cold sweat coming on.

Was it only coincidence that she and this woman he spoke of shared a common favoritism towards the little bistro? Maybe, maybe not. But, Lucy still couldn't help but wonder. After all, he _had_ asked her out on an…outing. Not a date.

"I figured that the two of you should have similar tastes," he said simply, casually, and then ushered her inside with a wave of his tanned hand.

Feeling that the best way to respond to his statement was to not respond at all, she complied wordlessly and stepped into the homey, wonderful café that smelled like baking bread, oregano, and garlic. It was unbelievable how those few, simple smells could create the most mouthwatering, yet relaxing, scent that Lucy had yet to find the equal to in any other restaurant in Fiore—and she had been to quite a lot. She groaned happily, feeling her stomach grumble in appreciation. Thankfully, though, the sound was silenced in the tiny, but bustling, café and Galahad, if he had noticed at all, paid it no mind.

Just when Lucy thought that she would have to stand at the door for a while due to the lack of staff, she and Galahad were approached by a busy-looking waitress, whose hair was frazzled from the work she had obviously been doing in the back—her apron had flour on it in layers, as did her ginger hair and the light freckles on her face. "Welcome to Ramino Piccolo," the hustled woman greeted warmly, her brown eyes tender. Clearly, despite the hectic situation, she loved her job. "Table for two?" she asked pleasantly, eyeing Galahad.

"Yes, please," Lucy answered quickly, a smile on her face.

And they were led to a small, round table in the corner with a single daisy placed elegantly in a vase and a small, unscented candle. It was very romantic. Well, actually, Lucy corrected herself, it would have been romantic had she not been there with Galahad. But it was nice, she would allow that much.

"I can take your orders now, if you'd like," the woman, who, by the nametag on her left breast, Lucy had discovered was named Mina, said. "But, as you can see, we're a bit busy, so it might take a while if that's alright." She fixated her brown gaze on Galahad again, her tone polite, and twiddled her fingers almost nervously.

Lucy's speculative eyes narrowed in thought before she grimaced in knowing. Ah, so that what was what it was. Mina thought Galahad was handsome. Lucy felt like laughing, more sarcastically than anything else. Oh, if only poor Mina knew the nature of his attitude.

Lucy smiled, giggling to herself in knowing. "To each their own," she hummed.

"That's fine," Galahad replied, "I've heard the food here is worth the wait. I'll have the stuffed sausage with a side of garlic bread."

Mina nodded, quickly whipping out a pen and scribbling down his order on a notepad.

Lucy leaned forward, preparing to order.

"And…"

"She'll have the tomato-basil soup with saltine crackers and a fresh tossed chef salad with croutons."

Lucy blinked once, twice, and then fell back into her chair, letting her mouth snap closed. He had…ordered for her?

"Alright." Mina nodded again, scribbling down the rest of the order. "Since these are small orders, I'll see if I can bump these to the top of the list," she said with a large smile, folding her hands and tucking her notepad into the pocket of her apron. Smiling again, she strode off, looking especially giddy.

Galahad stared after her, his grassy eyes following her every movement, no doubt assessing her like he had done Mira. Lucy scoffed, waving it off. At this point, it wasn't all that surprising. "That was nice," he mentioned offhandedly.

"Yeah…" Lucy agreed, not really paying attention to their waitress as she walked away. "But…how did you know?" the blonde asked curiously, silently pleading for his immediate attention.

Galahad, like he had sensed this, turned his gaze back towards her, a sly smile glued to his mouth. "Know what?"

She huffed. "How did you know that I always order that when I come here?"

"The soup and salad combo? Lucky guess, I suppose."

Lucy didn't buy it. Her order was very specific—especially where it concerned the basil; if her tomato soup did not have basil, well, she would simply refuse to eat it. Even Natsu had no idea what her favorite thing to order here was, or that she had a very specific preference for basil, and he had even come with her a few times. Of course, as soon as she realized this fact, Lucy only became bitter and ground her teeth together. Stupid Natsu.

Galahad watched silently, but intently, as various emotions splayed across his companion's pretty face—anger, bitterness, sadness, curiosity. It was constantly changing. And he supposed it was why he found her so…intriguing, to put it weakly. When she crossed her arms over her chest, wrinkled her nose, crinkled her light brows, and narrowed her tawny eyes with a huffed breath, he knew exactly what was running through her mind: Natsu Dragneel.

Interesting.

"Thinking about him?" Galahad quirked a bleached brow of his, eyeing Lucy carefully as her expression of obvious frustration fell like a swatted fly.

She fixed him with something more of a surprised look next, as if she were shocked that he had managed to guess so accurately. But, of course, she licked her lips and played ignorant. "Who?" she mumbled, staring at the candle as its tiny flame flickered with barely sustained life.

"Natsu."

She chewed her bottom lip, her face illuminated by the candle's faint glow. "I'm…not thinking about him." Her reply was stubborn, and forced, and coated in a tone of complete denial. The lie she was spinning was as obvious as extra layers of paint dripping down a wall.

But, Galahad mused, he would leave this be for now. After all, this was supposed to be a light hearted outing, he was supposed to make her feel better, and he would keep his promise. He did, for the most part, consider himself a gentleman.

Their meal arrived not long after that, and Mina had brought it with a smile. Not only that, but, while she had been away, she had obviously cleaned herself up a little; her hair was clearly less frizzy and less covered in powder, her apron had been shaken clean, and she had probably reapplied her makeup—all for Galahad's attention, Lucy assumed. But, this didn't bother her, really.

And the meal had commenced in almost silence, with either herself or Galahad commenting on the food every once in a while. Her soup was just right, much to her delight, with the perfect amount of basil, and her salad was just as good, if not better. She didn't even feel bad for finishing every single last bite. After all, she had no one to impress. Lucy, having finished, even decided that she was in a much better mood.

She would reluctantly tell herself that yes, this was all, in a sense, thanks to Galahad and his eerie knowledge of her favorite foods. He had even put up polite, and somewhat intriguing, conversation when they had found the time to talk in between chewing.

Lucy, setting her fork down on her plate quietly, yawned. Was it late? She had no idea, hadn't so much as glanced at a clock since she had left her apartment. But, she had a feeling that she was just tired. It had been a long day after all. Lots of things had happened, and, honestly, at the beginning of the day, she couldn't have imagined herself sitting here, having _dinner_, with someone her best male friend perceived as a threat to her safety. Had Cana spoken of this earlier in the day by use of her cards, Lucy thought that at the time she might have just laughed off a good ten pounds.

"Tired?"

She was drawn back to conversing with a tug when Galahad's question caught her off guard.

Lucy blinked, fighting back another yawn. "Um, no," she replied, "I'm not."

He stared at her rather pointedly, almost as if he didn't believe her, and blinked back languidly, in what could have probably been perceived as a sultry manner, before he amusedly stated, "You've yawned at least seven times throughout our outing. Am I that much of a bore?" His tone was good-natured, joking even, with a sarcastic hint buried somewhere underneath.

"Seven?" Lucy echoed in disbelief. Had she really yawned that many times? "I'm sorry…I didn't even realize," the blonde apologized hastily, feeling quite ashamed of herself.

Yawning when in the presence of company was as rude as refusing to apologize when one was in the wrong—as her late mother had often preached. Bad etiquette reflected on a person's personality, and a person's personality determined their character, and if their character was bad…well, then no one would want to be acquaintances with said person. Lucy's mother had also told her this many times before her passing, mostly when Lucy had been a small girl who was terrified of not making friends.

"You're not boring," she continued carefully. "I've just had a hectic few weeks…I probably just need a good night's rest."

"I'd bet…having Natsu set your kitchen on fire and all."

Lucy nodded, thinking back on the matter with a weary expression. She rubbed the sides of her forehead with two fingers, as if to alleviate a pounding headache. "And I've got the contractors coming in a few days to assess the damage, which will be one more thing to worry about, and then I'll have to scrape together the money to pay for the repairs, and then there's the repainting job…"

Reaching over his head to stretch his long arms, Galahad grunted in what sounded like an amused sort of snort. He relaxed again, groaning in relief when he had successfully managed to wring out his stiff muscles, and crossed those same, lean arms across his broad, vest-jacket covered chest, the muscles bulging. His eyes were gleaming again, Lucy noticed. "Well, you know…I'm always here if you need a stress reliever."

She promptly choked on a combination of her own saliva and the yeast-scented air of the café. "What?" Lucy gasped.

Stress reliever? Oh, Mavis, please, _please,_ Lucy thought, he had not just said what she thought he had… Did he even realize how that could be taken? Well, _of course_ he did, this was Galahad—the arrogant, know-it-all, vain and fully handsome man who was basically sex on two legs.

Lucy's brain froze. She had _not_ just thought that. _No, no, bad Lucy,_ she scolded herself, face aflame with almost the same color her soup had been.

But, she supposed that her inner perverted mind was true. After all, he was tan, tall, filled with lean muscle that bunched and bulged in just the right places, not to mention his white hair that looked completely natural and those eyes that could have been mistaken for facets of jade…and adding the way he acted? All sultry, nonchalant, tantalizing even…

No wonder Lucy had been so put off about him before.

He was a living, breathing seducing machine. Her natural, subconscious defenses had kicked into gear.

Galahad let one of his bleach-colored eyebrows rise up in question. "I'll take that as a no, then? Too bad, I liked having dinner with you, you put up decent conversation," he murmured.

"Wait…what?" Lucy swallowed thickly, her throat feeling thicker than it had been when she had been sick weeks ago. "You just meant…having dinner?"

"Or lunch, or breakfast, yes. Did you think I meant something else?" A second raised brow, this time, one of intrigue.

"I mean…" the blonde stuttered, unsure. "You said _stress reliever_ and…you know…oh, just never mind. Forget about it."

As she turned her back to him, mumbling about finding her wallet so they could split the bill, Galahad felt his eyebrows fall back into place. He smirked, watching her rosy cheeks flare to life again with a bright, vibrant shade of red that could have been mistaken for a maroon sort of color.

This would be fun, he thought slowly, his eyes still trained on her as she whipped out her pocket book, an embarrassed flush still lighting up her entire face. He would enjoy this game immensely.

* * *

_**Dun dun dunnn! Ahem. So this was a Galahad and Lucy centric chapter. Where's Natsu, you may ask? Who knows... Maybe he's sulking, or lurking around. But either way, next chapter: The Declaration! **_

_**Now, as for your reviews... Well, after receiving a review with a tad of constructive criticism, I'm going to have to stop replying to your reviews in the chapters /: It takes a very long time to sit down and think about unique, individual replies for one, and two, it misleads the readers on the word count and can leave them dissappointed after realizing half the chapter is replying to reviews... It's been on the back of my mind for a while now, but I wasn't sure if anyone else felt the same. Apparently so, so thank you for telling me! From now on, I'm going to list all the names of my reviewers, because, no matter what, you guys are still so awesome for taking the time to review! And, also, I'll more than likely reply to your review via PM, that way, I still feel like I'm reciprocating. However, if you have a question, then I will answer it in the chapter, and Guests, the same rule applies!  
**_

_**I hope you guys don't mind and that you understand! It makes me kinda sad that I have to do this, but, you know, girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! And I also hope that this won't decrease the amount of reviews... That would make me sad D:  
**_

_**KUDOS TO MY LOVELY REVIEWERS:** Beautiful Sensations, els1324, Dyvee, Monika-chan, TooLazyToLogIn, Twistedkorn, Cupcake-Lover-1374, Eternal Anime Fan, black thorn angel, Lady Violet Fire, themidnightblackcat, Amychama248, KawaiiOdango, Nexyjo, Mistique (sorry, FF wouldn't save your name correctly for some reason...) , Angel Charmcaster, GoldenRose Tanya, Kagome Juh, xxjcc161xx, misstirius, Axelx3, dog's paw burning in hot ash, dracoscilvio, MissMe101, Guest, alex, QueenP19, KHLostEmpress, TheOneMagic, Betta Fische, Plop.__**  
**_

_**TooLazyToLogIn: **Well, there is a subbed version on Youtube! It's done by ametures, but, in my opinion, they did a very good job! And as it turns out, I was somewhat right in my translation, too! Yay! _

_**Eternal Anime Fan: **Thank you for letting me know! I'd been thinking about it, too, but your opinion made me make my decision :)  
_

_**misstirius:** Thank you for catching that! I must've not noticed and Word wouldn't have picked it up XD  
_

_**dog's paw burning in hot ash: **Well, I don't know it it's true...but he DOES give a lot of hints, and he DOES draw a lot of NaLu pictures and then post them on his twitter. I think he's just teasing the fans in my opinion, but, Mashima-sensei is also pretty weak towards his fandom (if the fans want NaLu, they tend to get NaLu!).  
_


	9. The Declaration

_**Yay! New chappie! Ugh, though... You guys would seriously not even fathom the week I just went through... Parades, SATs, concerts, babysitting, boyfriend drama, and ice-skating (which should NOT have been as stressful as it had been...) Oh, well. That's life, I suppose. Now, anyway. Thanks to all of you who read Smoke and Peaches! I was simply astounded by the amount of reviews I received, and all of it was commending! Thanks so much to all of you who read it, and especially to those of you who reviewed! :) **_

_**Before we go on, though, I have a strange request... Does anyone out there, from the Bleach fandom, know of a good Ulquihime (Ulquirroa and Orihime, for those who don't know) fanfic? I've never really paid much attention to this couple before, but, I saw this fanart a little while ago and it just set my poor shipper heart on fire. Like, seriously. Total Uluihime shipper now. So, does anyone know a good one? I'm dying over here, guys... D: If you do, just leave it in a review, I would really appreciate it! :3**_

_**Now, onto Adherence...  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Declaration**_

* * *

Rummaging through her drawers, Lucy dug through her shirts, socks, underwear and pants, tossing various articles aside in a ruffled heap onto her bedroom floor. She needed a selected wardrobe for their mission, considering that their surroundings would be a forest, and as she had learned over the years, bringing just one outfit was a heady mistake. For some reason, Lucy always managed to get her clothes torn to ribbons; shredded so badly, in fact, that she wouldn't even consider her clothes real clothes since they barely kept her decent. It was embarrassing, she felt, to be walking around in a shirt that barely covered the most important parts of her chest and left her midriff widely exposed for the world to see.

So, this time, Lucy thought as she plucked out a nice, pink T-shirt, she would come plenty prepared for whatever laid in store for them on their mission. She would pack three backup sets of clothes, just in case, and she would also bring an extra pair of shoes. And then, she wouldn't have to worry about Natsu, or Galahad, seeing parts of her that she really, truly wished they hadn't. Especially Natsu. After their…encounter, the thought of him seeing her naked, not only was it embarrassing, but it brought the fear that he might remember _that_ night.

And if he were to remember…well, then Lucy and Levy's plan would have all been for naught.

Frowning at this thought, Lucy tossed the pink shirt away. "I need something dark…something forest-y…" Something she could camouflage herself in; like dark green, gray or brown and definitely not something fluorescent, or neon, like Natsu's hair color.

Finally, selecting a deep, dark green colored shirt that was relatively modest, Lucy folded it and threw it into her backpack with a yawn. She stretched afterwards, feeling the sore muscles in her back pull. She was still tired, even after coming home last night and sleeping well past eleven in the morning, and somehow, she had managed to get sores all along her back. Not bruises, or even cuts, but just random sore spots, as if she had exerted the muscles there. But Lucy felt as though this weren't all that big of a deal, after all, almost everyone complained of being sore and tired.

There was nothing unusual about it.

She just hoped her fatigue wouldn't interfere with her capabilities during the mission. Thinking carefully about this as she zipped her backpack shut, Lucy sighed when she felt a familiar urge suddenly rush through her abdomen. The need to use the bathroom. She groaned, hanging her head, and let out an irritated snort.

"Again?" she whined to herself, glaring at nothing but the floor. Lucy, now grumpy, crossed her arms over her chest. "Seriously, this is like the fourth time since I got up…"

And she hadn't been up all that long, only two hours.

Lucy stalked, irritated, to her door-less bathroom, and began frantically yanking her capris down as the urge became more prominent. It was like that today, she noted. If she had to go, she really, _really_ had to go; which was a little strange. Lucy had always been very good about being able to hold her bladder, even when she had been a toddler in the middle of potty training. The longest she had been able to hold it was a whopping five hours—which was terrible for her bladder, yes, she realized—but now, it almost seemed as though if she didn't get to a toilet within five minutes of realizing she had to pee, her insides would burst from pressure.

Lucy sat down on the toilet, her head in her hands, feeling that amazing relief flush through her body. How would this affect her during the mission? Surely, they couldn't be taking breaks every half hour just so she could pee in the woods… Frustrated with her body, Lucy groaned again.

She was tired, she was sore, and she was always needing to pee. Wonderful.

"Yes, please," the blonde started sarcastically with a roll of her brown eyes, "just pile this up onto my already crazy life. Thank you."

Finished, Lucy reached over to grab the roll of toilet paper by her knee, when she saw something…red in the lining of her underwear. She stilled. Red? Upon closer inspection, another sense of relief washed through her until she felt cold inside, and Lucy began smiling.

She had her period. _Her period! _

"Oh, thank the heavens…" Lucy whispered, pressing her cool hands against her too-hot face.

If she had her period, it could only mean that she and Natsu hadn't accidentally created a very large, and very complicated problem for the two of them to sort out. It meant that she couldn't possibly be pregnant. It also meant that her fatigue and sudden urges to pee were probably caused by her menstruation, which, if she thought about it, was a good thing—it meant that her body was completely normal and that there was nothing for her to worry about.

Everything was fine. Nothing had changed. Life would continue on normally.

Happily, Lucy finished her business and properly adjusted her backpack so that it held a good supply of tampons and liners. This was the first time, Lucy thought cheerily, that she had ever been happy to receive her period.

o0o

A small blue feline buzzed worriedly around his friend, his wings flapping, paws kneading. "Natsu…" he whined pitifully, sorrow laced in his tone.

"Sorry, Happy," Natsu replied contritely and his green eyes belied his utter sincerity. "Luce is mad at me right now, and I need to fix it…and I think you should probably just stay here. That Galahad guy is coming, anyway, and Lucy would get made if you attacked him."

Happy paused, his expression deeply confused. "Attack? Why would I? He gave me fish!" the Exceed exclaimed haughtily, seeming almost offended by Natsu's previous statement. The flying cat snorted indignantly.

Natsu let loose a low rumble from inside his throat. First Lucy and now Happy. Who else was Galahad going to charm? The dragonslayer seethed as he roughly tossed another shirt and pair of trousers into his knapsack, glaring down at his calloused hands as they stuffed the apparel into the too-small bag. Galahad didn't have calloused hands. He probably didn't have any scars either. Was that why she talked to him? Did Lucy prefer men who were…clean? Clean of violence? Natsu's aggravated, jerky actions grew slow at the thought as he pictured his partner smiling, having a cheery conversation with Galahad.

In his mind, Lucy giggled, a pretty blush dusting across her pale cheeks.

His mouth twitched downward.

Natsu hated it. He didn't know why, exactly, but he hated seeing them together, so close…it made him angry. So angry, in fact, that he had begun to grind his teeth together subconsciously, the action causing him to wince after a long while.

His companion in the room noticed the change in mood immediately, and small, blue, furry paws poked at Natsu's shoulders. "_Ne_… Natsu, are you okay?" Happy asked tentatively, his eyes widening anxiously.

Natsu only huffed, his eyes narrowing to a certain degree as he tied his bag shut, tugging forcefully at the strings. "Yeah, Happy… Just thinking about Lucy…" He shrugged, suggesting that it was no big deal.

"And Galahad?" the cat piped knowingly, but carefully enough.

The dragonslayer felt another oncoming growl, barely keeping it a bay through sheer force of will. Instead of frightening his cat with his obvious ferocity, he settled for glowering at his knapsack venomously, as though it were Galahad in the flesh. "Yeah, him too."

He was indeed thinking about Lucy, and about Galahad…but what was weighing most heavily on his mind was something different entirely. Probably something insignificant, too, he knew, but he just couldn't let it go. It was the biting fact that Lucy, for whatever reason smelled different. Not completely different, but just…different, definitely not like she usually smelled. He didn't know what it was, and that worried him. Was she sick again or something? Or…had Galahad touched her?

With another sigh, Natsu turned to Happy, a worried look splayed across his rugged face. He folded his arms. "Happy, does Lucy smell different to you?" he asked.

The cat blinked mutely, a thinking expression crossing his features briefly as he tapped a single paw to his fuzzy chin. "Hm…a little, maybe," the feline accented. "But I thought it was new perfume. Lucy says that she likes to buy new ones every once in a while."

Surprised, the dragonslayer pursed his chapped lips thoughtfully. Was that it? Perfume? He had never really smelled any of her perfumes before, and he supposed that it seemed viable. After all, he knew that Lucy had a taste for fashion, so, maybe she really had gone out and bought some new scent. And besides, if Galahad, or anyone else, had touched her, he would be able to smell that person on her skin anyway.

Which meant that Lucy was safe.

He exhaled, feeling relieved. And the action caused him to raise one of his own pink brows in question. He was relieved, yes, but he didn't know _why_ he was relieved. It had just felt as though a large weight that had settled over his lungs had been lifted and he could breathe the fresh air of the forest that flowed through his house. Maybe there was something wrong with his body…

Natsu shrugged off the feeling. Nah, he was fine; he'd never felt physically better. "Alright, see you later, Happy. I'll be back in a few days!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy exclaimed with a cheery salute. The cat watched Natsu as he grinned, waved, grabbed his bag, and left the house in a rush, slamming the rickety door behind him. A bothered sigh escaping him, the furry Exceed let his arm fall limply to his side.

He had noticed there was something not quite right with Natsu lately. The dragonslayer had always been kindly, especially to him, and to _nakama_ as well. And yet, with just the mere mention of the name _"Galahad",_ Natsu would grow terse until the tendons in his neck stretched from the pressure and became visible, and his eyes would blaze as though they, themselves, were on fire in their depths. It, to be completely honest, scared Happy a little. His always cheerful best friend was changing…into what, he didn't know. But, he sincerely hoped that something would be done, and soon.

Now, outside, Natsu paraded all the way to the Magnolia Town Train Station, leaves and twigs crunching under his feet in the late summer air. It was almost fall, he realized as he scented the air briefly; in about three weeks fall would officially begin, according to his sense of smell, which was hardly ever wrong. Feeling better, the dragonslayer trudged on, enjoying the non-humid air and the breeze that shook the trees ever so slightly. It was a perfect summer day.

And he was on a perfect walk to the train station on this perfect summer day, momentarily forgetting about Lucy and Galahad and everything in between. All that was there was Natsu, the wind, and the perfection of the pleasant summer day. And that sense of unity with the world crashed like a burning automobile when Natsu turned the corner on the block, reached the station and realized that, not only was Lucy not present, but Galahad was standing on one of the platforms, looking as if he were waiting for her.

Natsu Dragneel forced himself to keep a straight face, though he allowed his once-relaxed hands to ball into terse fists. This was the last thing he needed. He stomped forwards, never once faltering, and let a very noticeable grimace plaster on his face.

Galahad turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, a smile on his sickeningly good-looking face. That smile fell a fraction when he recognized that the figure rapidly approaching was not, in fact, Lucy, whom he had hoped it was, but rather, Natsu. And the temperamental young man looked…not quite angry, but irritated.

Galahad snickered. So childish.

"Galahad," Natsu greeted tersely, his body jerking to a stop beside the tanned youth.

Said tanned youth nodded in recognition, murmuring a polite, "Natsu," in return and went back to scanning the horizon for the blonde, celestial mage.

She was clearly late; and she had even been the one to set the time, exclaiming that neither Natsu, nor Galahad, were to be late under any circumstances. Galahad snorted. She was an interesting character, he thought; definitely not the cute, giggly girl advertised in the magazines he'd read. She was better; she was head strong, intelligent, cunning and had just the right amount of sweetness to her that could make any man stop dead in their tracks just to look at her and pine for her attention. And, not to mention the fact that when angered, she happened to look like a beautiful, avenging angel—her pale face flushed pink, her golden brows drawn inward, her plump lips pursing, her nose crinkling, her tawny-wheat eyes fuming until they all but shimmered.

Galahad shifted on his feet, his bright green eyes glued to the horizon. He'd waited years for this…to be this close. But there was someone in his way… He wasn't about to let that happen. After this opportunity he'd been given from the heavens, there was absolutely no way that one single person was going to stand in the way of him and his dream.

Out of the corner of his eye, the illusionist cross-examined the brooding dragonslayer who had his arms crossed over his built chest and was hunched over, glowering at oncoming and departing trains.

All he had to do was drive a wedge between the irritable Natsu Dragneel, and the once-heiress Lucy Heartfilia. It was simple enough. Natsu was already trying the celestial mage's patience , all Galahad had to do now was reinforce the problems that were driving the two apart. And it would be easy, Galahad knew, since Natsu was so easily baited and since Lucy was so quick to anger. Then, he would have what he had been wanting for over seven years.

"Lucy."

Galahad almost started at the gravelly voice that broke into his inner monologue. Turning, he noticed that the dragonslayer had changed his stance—straightening his spine so he stood taller, his arms still folded across his pectorals, fingers turning white as he gripped each bicep with crushing strength. He was attempting to be intimidating, Galahad realized abruptly, blinking languidly.

"Where is she?"

With a snort and a nonchalant shrug, the illusionist replied, "I can't say for sure. But, she might have overslept…after all, we did have a lot of fun last night."

Natsu felt himself bristling, the hairs on the back on his neck practically standing upright with the electricity that surged through the air. He yanked his arms down to his sides, fists clenching and unclenching, and his jaw working overtime as it ground his sharp teeth together. "What does that mean?" he demanded darkly.

Galahad stirringly stated, "My, you seem jealous," which, of course, only seemed to further infuriate the dragonslayer by his side.

"What did you do to her?" was all Natsu managed to ask as his hackles continued to rise. Dangerously, fire ignited in his hands, crackling and spitting.

"Me?" Galahad echoed incredulously. "Why would you assume that I would do anything to her?" His tone was as smug as the cat who had managed to catch the canary.

However, the tone, it seemed, was enough for Natsu, as he finally lunged for Galahad and snatched the fabric of the illusionist's sleeveless jacket between his rough hands. He yanked on it, making Galahad stumble closer, and the flames on his hands were dangerously close to catching Galahad's apparel on fire. He and Natsu were at the same height, it appeared, and Natsu glowered straight into the smirking dream caster's eyes.

"Are you going to hit me?" Galahad mused thoughtfully, not at all frightened. "Go ahead, hit me as many times as you'd like," he encouraged, holding up a single hand and curling his fingers inward as if to say, _come hither_.

Not needing a second invitation, Natsu cocked his fist back, his bulging muscles tightening in anticipation as flames engulfed his hand and forearm.

"But," Galahad interrupted coolly, catching Natsu's blazing eyes. "Just be aware that Lucy won't be all too pleased with you should she find out."

And the dragonslayer faltered. Lucy. She would be angry if he started a fight…she always hated when he did that, claiming it was highly immature of him. And she was already angry with him as it was—which meant that he couldn't afford to so much as put a scratch on Galahad's smug, smirking face. As much as he loathed Galahad, Natsu knew that Lucy was far more important; and if he had to let Galahad go because of her…well, he had but no choice. Even if it grated on his personal agenda.

Roughly and angrily, Natsu released Galahad, letting the illusionist take a few staggering steps back. But Natsu's harsh glare never wavered. He would get Galahad one day…he was sure of it.

"Guys!"

Both men jolted at the tinkling, clearly feminine voice that chimed from just a few yards away. Natsu spun on his heel, eyes wide, to see Lucy, her backpack in hand, jogging down the road and panting with a smile on her face. She beamed at him.

Confused, he only blinked dumbly. Hadn't she been angry with him?

The celestial mage came closer, trying to smother her flying hair, and waved at her two teammates. "Sorry," she called out apologetically, "I accidentally overslept." She came to a stop just in front of Natsu and smiled at him—which caused him to physically recoil in utter surprise.

"You did seem tired yesterday…" Galahad said concernedly from behind the dragonslayer, drawing Lucy's attention. "Are you alright?" he asked, eyeing her up and down.

Lucy smiled again, still much to Natsu's shock. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Never been better!" she proclaimed proudly. She then turned to Natsu, noticing his strange expression—he looked confused, startled, and questioning at the same time—and felt her smile dip into a disconcerted half-frown. "Is…something wrong?" she asked her best friend.

He stared down at her, his mind whirling. She wasn't mad at him anymore, it seemed…which was a bit bewildering in itself. She had been absolutely livid with him the other day. "Luce…" he started slowly, unsurely. "Are you…I mean, about the other day…"

Lucy quirked a single brow expectantly. "The other day?" she repeated. "Oh," she exclaimed after having recalled her small, but impacting outburst at him, "that… Never mind that. I overreacted, like usual." She waved it off with a smile, a non-verbal way of declaring it no big deal. "Now, let's go, the train's about to leave!" She forcefully turned Natsu around and pushed on the small of his back until he tumbled towards the train.

He groaned pitifully as he eyed the metal and wood contraption, momentarily forgetting the matter of Lucy's dissipated anger.

"Just get on," Lucy commanded with a scoff. "It'll be over before you know it."

Reluctantly, the dragonslayer boarded the locomotive, his face ashen, and Lucy followed not far behind, her backpack right behind her. She peered over her shoulder at Galahad, one foot on the loading platform of the train.

"C'mon," she instructed, jerking her head, "let's go."

He, too, grabbed his belongings and boarded just behind Lucy. And as he sat down, just across from her, letting Natsu have the privilege of sitting by her side, he knew that it was about time that he put his plan into action.

Lucy Heartfilia would be his. And if Natsu Dragneel dared to stand in the way…Galahad would make sure that all hell would break loose.

* * *

_**Oho~! So, Galahad makes his intentions known... What will happen next? Pairing up Natsu and Galahad and then sticking them in a forest can't be a good idea... And what about Lucy? Natsu's noticed this strange new scent... Hmm... Is it really new perfume? Stay tuned for the next chapter, chapter 10: The Inevitable! **_

_**KUDOS TO ALL OF MY WONDERFUL**__** REVIEWERS**__**:**__ Beautiful Sensations, nessa, dog's paw burning in hot ash, Axelx3, KHLostEmpress, GoldenRose Tanya, Disappear500, Ksrjah, dragoscilvio, Amychama248, KawaiiOdango, The Keeper of Worlds, HaibaraAiFan, The One Magic, Plop, GuiltyCrown09, DanaeMariSkywalker, Kagome Juh, Guest, Cupcake-Luver-1374, TheLostHope__  
_

_**You guys are seriously wonderful! I had significantly less reviews last chapter, and I don't know if it was due to the lack of NaLu, or because I am no longer personally replying to the reviews in each chapter, but, you all reviewed and it made me very, very happy! I am sending my love out to all of you! **_

_**Guest: **Thank you for catching that! I didn't even noticed XD Word didn't pick up on it and I don't have a beta, so it's pretty easy to skip over on things like that when I'm not paying attention. And thank you :) I think we did fairly well in the parades, and the SAT was a cakewalk for the most part (had a terrible examiner, though, she was using her cellphone WHILE we were testing... Rude, much?)!_

_**Plop: **Thanks! I always seem to have trouble with OCs (trying to keep them in character and make them seem realistic is harder than it seems...), and I always worried about whether or not he made a "good enough" villain. He couldn't be too creepy, too nasty, too obvious either. He had to have this gentlemanly sense about him, while still obviously playing for the villainous team. I'm glad I got it pretty much right! Hope you keep reading!  
_

_**Thanks to all who reviewed last chapter, and to those who didn't, too. I hope you guys enjoyed this one! Reviews are always much appreciated and longed for. Neena loves them a whole lot. :)**  
_


	10. The Inevitable

_**OMG guys! It's chapter 10! Woohoo! :D Neena is very happy right now. Things were better this week, I suppose. Fixed things up with the beau while making sugar cookies today, performed today without a flaw, even got a good new book! Your reiviews for this chapter would just put me on cloud nine! Seriously. Love you all! Read, enjoy, and review!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Inevitable**_

* * *

Natsu lurched forwards again, feeling the stinging stomach bile rising in his throat, and pressed a single hand to his mouth in order to keep himself from spewing all over the floor of the moving locomotive. "I think I'm gonna be sick…" he moaned, making a sickly hiccupping sound. His face was a ghastly green color, which alarmed Lucy, who was sitting directly beside him.

"Well don't puke all over me," she huffed.

Meanwhile, Galahad watched the scene, feeling a bit queasy himself as he warily watched the dragonslayer moan and groan and hiccup, writhing in his seat uncomfortably. "Is this…" the illusionist started slowly. "Is this normal?"

Lucy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, appearing quite agitated with the turn of events. "Unfortunately…" she muttered, glaring down at her partner when he tried to lay his head on her lap. She scooted further away from him with a disgruntled frown.

Her partner leaned towards her again, clapping an arm around his abdomen. "Lucy…" he whined beneath the hand that kept itself over his mouth like a lid. "I think I'm gonna…" He coughed, and then made a gagging sound, to which Lucy let out a small, trilling shriek.

"Don't you dare, Natsu Dragneel!" the blonde whispered furiously to him, pushing his face away profusely. "For Mavis' sake, go to the bathroom, you idiot! Don't even think about throwing up on me." She, as if to encourage her statement, shoved Natsu away from her body and out into the aisle. Her face was pink up to the ears, either from irritation or from the fear of having his last meal making a sudden second appearance on her clean clothes.

He half-collapsed, with one hand around his gut and the other over his mouth, before making a beeline for the bathroom in the very back of the car, stumbling almost drunkenly. The dragonslayer moaned all the way, eliciting curious stares from the other passengers—afterwards, those same passengers reeled back, their faces contorted in disgust.

Galahad gawked after the motion-sick dragonslayer, his bright eyes gleaming. "How unfortunate," he said, "that someone with his power is reduced to his knees by a moving vehicle." He clucked his tongue judgmentally, crossing his arms.

"Well, he had to have _some sort_ of weakness," Lucy mumbled. She turned on her side, folding her arms in the process, and stared out the window at the summer scenery as the train chugged on. "In a strange way, it's sort of relieving…" she whispered, her eyes trailing certain objects as they zipped by.

"To know that he has a weakness?" Galahad quipped, watching her every move. His eyes zeroed in on her with each breath she took, with each twitch her hands gave, with each crinkle of her brows. She, Lucy Heartfilia, was absolutely fascinating. Even more so than himself, which was an accomplishment achieved by few and far in between.

Lucy nodded mutely, not really caring to admit what she so truly thought. "Every time he fights, I think that he's invincible… He just can't lose, there's no way he can… But, I know that there's no such thing as invincibility, really…" the blonde murmured softly, blinking her wheat-colored eyes thoughtfully. "And, in a way, it makes me feel better about myself. To know that I'm not the only one who has a weakness, that everyone, no matter their strength, _does_ have a weakness… So, I guess I'm glad that his weakness is something like this, something completely ridiculous."

Galahad felt his muscles tightening at the mention of Natsu's physical strength. Subconsciously, he found himself staring in the direction of the bathroom, after Natsu, brooding over Lucy's obvious praise. "You talk as if he's the most powerful mage of Fairy Tail," he snorted sarcastically, disbelieving.

"Oh," Lucy mused, looking over her shoulder at him enigmatically with a half-smile, "next to Erza, Gajeel, Gray, Jellal, Gildarts and Laxus, I think he's one of the most powerful mages in all of Fiore."

Galahad found himself pausing at this, eyes lighting with curiosity and sarcasm. Oh, really? One of the most powerful in Fiore? The one stumbling to the bathroom to empty his last meal just now? How utterly preposterous.

"Of course," came the snort from the blonde in the next moment, "he doesn't need to know that…he's got a big enough ego as it is." Lucy scoffed to herself, the sound coming from the back of her throat in an un-lady-like manner. But despite her admonishment, she seemed quite content with the previous statement—looking starry eyed and smiling softly, almost reminiscently.

And Galahad found that he didn't like it. Not so much the fact that she looked so damn beautiful, ethereal even, but rather the fact that she looked that way because she was thinking about someone who wasn't him; she was thinking of Natsu. Her teammate. Her friend. Her _nakama_. Galahad's jaw tightened.

Or, perhaps they were more than that; more than just _nakama_. Obviously, Natsu had some issues with territory—Galahad wasn't blind—and he was very obviously infatuated with the blonde celestial mage; it explained his irrational outbursts of anger and that dopey look on his face when he was being scolded by Lucy. This didn't bother Galahad, really. He couldn't have cared less if Natsu fancied Lucy. What he did care about, though, was if Lucy harbored some sort of romantic notion towards her dragonslayer teammate.

She was much more guarded about her emotions when it came to Natsu, thus making it hard to tell. But, either way, Galahad felt molten lava congealing in the pits of his stomach; unsettlement, it was, he realized a short while later.

"You must think highly of him," Galahad said tightly, masking his tone quite well.

Lucy only shrugged and brushed another lock of hair behind her fabric-clad shoulder with a flip of her creamy-colored, stamp-covered hand. "Yeah, I guess… I mean, I respect him—despite his idiocy and everything. You can't _not_ respect someone like him."

Ah, respect, was it? Just respect.

Inquiringly, Galahad leaned forward ever so slightly, inching closer to the blonde sitting directly across from him, and narrowed his grassy eyes in speculation. Her gaze was still plastered to the window, those beautiful eyes of hers glazed over as if she were thinking about something or someone; her cheeks were a pretty rose-petal pink and she continuously grated her delectable bottom lip with her white, pearly teeth.

He leaned back with a irritated snort. Respect, she said. Galahad scoffed. She was a terrible liar.

Lucy suddenly yawned, taking the illusionist eyeing her like a hawk by surprise. "He's strong," she said not long after.

"Is he now?"

She nodded confidently.

"Is that why you like him?"

Lucy began spluttering incoherent things, her face growing redder by the minute as she finally tore her eyes from the window and peered at Galahad incredulously. She coughed. "Like? You mean as a teammate? A friend?" she clarified, stressing the words "teammate" and "friend" in a way that emphasized her anxiety.

"A friend, a teammate, _nakama_…something more…" Galahad offered nonchalantly, keeping his tone cool, light and emotionally detached. He lifted his shoulders in a non-caring shrug.

Lucy, though, scoffed profusely, her face reddening even further if it were possible. "Something more?" she echoed. "How could I ever, ever think of Natsu in that way? I mean…he's _Natsu_…" Her voice cracked at the end.

And it only hammered the nail in the coffin for her. Galahad knew she was lying; which left something equivalent to a pit of rocks settling in his already heavy stomach. But, he thought, if she wanted to lie, fine; all he would have to do was change her mind. It wouldn't be that hard—most women were weak to his charm. Not to say that Lucy was like most women, because she _wasn't_, but, Galahad seriously doubted if there was a woman who could resist him forever. For a prolonged amount of time, maybe. Forever? Definitely not. She would eventually cave—but only if he used the correct tools and methods.

He found himself smirking devilishly. "I see…" he murmured, watching her closely as she leaned back.

The celestial mage pressed one of her cool hands to her very red face almost in hopes of cooling it down. It didn't look as though it would work, however, as her face just burned even hotter in response to her mind continuously repeating the conversation she just had. Something more? Did Galahad suspect that she had romantic feelings for Natsu? No… Lucy paused, chewing this over in her mind. He couldn't have—she knew she was very good at masking her true feelings, the only one who could possibly tell would be Levy; because best friends had the right to be open books to one another.

And yet…he looked incredibly smug as he braced his elbows on his knees, green eyes sparkling, a smirk curving his mouth.

He looked as though she had just, despite her clear denial of his accusation, confessed her feelings.

And it worried Lucy. Because if on the off chance that he somehow knew, it wouldn't be long until the others in the guild knew—and then eventually Natsu would know, and her ingenious, foolproof plan would be ruined and Natsu would ostracize her.

She chewed her lip worriedly.

She absolutely, positively could not have that happen. It couldn't happen, it wouldn't happen. Lucy would make sure of that.

…Right after she made another trip to the bathroom.

Hurriedly, she stood up, fighting the urge to awkwardly cross her legs and fold her hands over her abdomen. Oh, Mavis, how could the need to pee come so quickly and yet so forcefully? Lucy inwardly groaned and edged out into the aisle. "I'll be right back…bathroom," she called over her shoulder to Galahad, who stared after her curiously.

Well, Galahad thought, when a girl had to go_, she had to go_ it seemed; because not even a second after she had stood, Lucy was already well down the aisle and parading to the bathroom with her hands clenched at her sides, her knuckles white. He almost laughed. Inwardly, he highly doubted that she even needed to use the bathroom in the first place—she was just probably too flustered to sit there in silence with him. Then again, he supposed fairly, this was Lucy Heartfilia, one of the single most unpredictable women in Fairy Tail—the first being Erza Scarlet. Who knew what was going on inside that head of hers?

"Oh, Mavis, if I don't get there, I swear I'll pee myself…" Lucy whispered to herself, sounding utterly horrified.

No one really paid her that much mind as she all but marched to the bathroom in the back of the car—a few had looked up at her though, mostly men checking out her assets; nothing too unusual. And, much to her relief, she soon reached the very back of the car and located the nice wooden door leading to the lavatory.

Huffing, she reached out to yank on the door handle…only to find it locked. Someone occupied the bathroom.

"_No_…" she hissed in dismay as she glared pointedly at the door. Inhaling patiently, Lucy closed her eyes and tried to ignore the growing pains in her bladder; she knocked on the door lightly with two knuckles. "Excuse me?" she called out as politely as she could.

There was silence for a few steady beats, making her believe that there was actually no one inside, until she received the reply of, "Ngh…" in a deep, and ill—but still recognizable—voice.

Her brown eyes narrowed at the same time as a knowing frown marred her mouth. It was Natsu's voice—he was still in there. Lucy had just assumed that he had gone to the outer railing to hang his head over the edge like he sometimes did; but no, it appeared as though he had been hogging the bathroom all this time.

"Natsu?" the blonde tested warily as she pressed her knees together.

An awful gagging noise and then, "Hmn…"

She sighed, her legs squeezing closer and closer together. "Natsu," she griped, "get out, seriously. I need to use the bathroom."

Of course, she received silence as an answer. Not even the sound of shuffling, as if he were gathering himself, met her ears.

Having no patience, the blonde knocked on the door again. "Natsu!" She continued knocking, even though it was proving to be beyond pointless, and whined pitifully.

Her abdomen was bloated and painful—she had gone from fine and dandy to this state in no less than a short five minute span. Really, she probably needed to stop drinking so many things with caffeine…it was obviously destroying her poor kidneys and bladder.

"Natsu, I swear, if you don't open this door _right now,_ I _will_ kick it in and _you_ will have to pay for the damages!" Her knocks turned into insistent pounding, a fist sudden forming.

And, of course, it caused people to turn around in their seats and stare at her—the source of the sudden, new commotion. Some were irritated, some perplexed, and others just curious as to what was going on. Lucy found that she didn't particularly care though; she had to pee dammit, everything else was on hold until then. And there was no way that Natsu was getting in the way of her and her lavatory sanctuary.

The celestial mage hiked up her foot in a threatening manner, though the dragonslayer inside the bathroom before her couldn't see. "Natsu Dragneel, I'm serious. One…two…" Lucy began counting, her patience and her bladder's tolerance stretching thin.

"Thr – "

But the door opened with a _whoosh_ before she could finish, effectively colliding with her forehead and making her stumble back in surprise and pain. She hissed, rubbing the red, sore spot on her face, before fixing her teammate with a glower that rivaled Erza's on her grumpy mornings.

He was standing in the doorway—or, actually, slumping in the doorway—still looking quite green and…barfy. Natsu hiccupped, still holding a hand to his mouth, and gurgled something unintelligible.

"Just go sit down," Lucy ordered with a point in the general direction of their seats.

The dragonslayer merely stared at her forlornly, his green eyes glazed.

"Go," Lucy repeated. She reached out to pull him aside and out of the doorway so she could squeeze herself inside. "And don't puke on the seats…or Galahad," she told him as an afterthought, giving him a slight nudge on the small of his back.

He lurched forwards, hunching like a crippled elder.

And Lucy shut the bathroom door with a slam.

Thank Mavis. Bathroom…sanctuary…

Harshly, and in quite the hurry, she yanked down her denim shorts and lined underwear, hop-skipping to the toilet. Once she sat down, that same, amazing feeling of relief came over her in such a forceful wave that she actually felt tears of gratitude collecting in the corners of her eyes.

"Thank the starry heavens…" Lucy sighed to herself wistfully, hanging her head in her hands.

Jeez…she had never felt the need to pee so badly in her entire life!

A few minutes later, feeling much less bloated and much less explosive, Lucy went to stand and wash her hands when she noticed something…a little odd, she supposed. Well, maybe it wasn't exactly odd, but certainly not what she had been expecting. There was no red in her liner.

She was on her period, and yet, there was no blood…how did that make any sense? She had clearly been bleeding just hours before, so there was no way that it would have stopped by now.

Puzzled the blonde scratched the crown of her head and finished pulling up her pants. She shook it off. Well, whatever, she was fine—her body was probably just a little off due to the stress she'd been dealing with lately. She'd heard that it could happen, that a girl's period could stop and go if they were stressed. So, as she lathered her hands and peered at her reflection in the mirror, she decided that there was nothing that she really needed to worry about.

Everything was fine.

Besides, even though she'd been glad to receive her period for certain reasons, it didn't mean that she was entirely happy to be dealing with it—especially during a mission. That just spelled disaster. It was better this way, Lucy thought as she exited the restroom. She knew she wasn't pregnant, and she didn't have to deal with a heavy period on the mission. Perfect. It couldn't get more perfect. So, she smiled contently and found her way back to her seat, practically humming.

As she drew closer to the seats that she, Natsu and Galahad had reserved, she heard the unmistakable sound of gagging and blanched accordingly. Natsu was still threatening to hurl, it seemed. A little displeased, she sighed and scooted into her seat beside Natsu, ignoring his groans.

Noticing her presence, the dragonslayer groaned even louder. "Lucy…" He leaned his head towards her, eyes pleading.

And Lucy, despite her reaction earlier in the day, gave into his desires with a huffing, reluctant sigh. "Alright," she consented slowly. Hesitantly, she lifted one of her hands and rested it on the crown of his salmon-pink head, fingers kneading gently through the individual strands, before gently guiding his head to her lap. Comfortingly, Lucy rubbed his scalp. "But," she continued, "if you throw up on me, I _will_ kill you."

She was serious. Natsu knew that. But he wouldn't dare throw up on her in the first place…it would mess up that wonderful smell of hers. Whatever perfume she was wearing, he found it delectable—once he was no longer incapacitated by the moving locomotive, he had to make sure to tell her that she should always wear this new perfume of hers. Natsu inhaled deeply, feeling his stomach settle at her soothing scent.

Paradise, he thought languidly. How could she smell so good? Lucy had always smelled nice, Natsu thought—not that he really, purposely sniffed her everyday—but this new smell was stronger than her usual scents. And, despite his usual distaste for strong perfumes, he found that he liked this one; in fact, he found no reason to hate this perfume at all.

He stirred slightly, turning his head until his nose was almost buried into Lucy's soft stomach. Again, he inhaled.

Ah…the smell was the strongest from there, he realized, smelling again. Her stomach. What a strange place to put perfume. But, Natsu found that he couldn't care less.

He felt her stomach twitch as she squealed. "Natsu," Lucy whispered. "What are you doing?" the celestial mage demanded—from her tone, she sounded embarrassed. "Are you…are you smelling me?" The blonde sounded horrified at the thought.

And why wouldn't she? After all, Lucy thought that she probably smelled like blood due to her menstruation—though it appeared to have stopped for now.

The dragonslayer stirred again, groaning once, before giving out a huff and letting his tense body go limp. He was asleep, Lucy realized, as she saw and felt his shoulder rise and fall in time with his breathing. Oh well… She sighed. At least, this way, he wouldn't be throwing up on her, which was good. But…on the negative side…

Lucy felt her heart beating rapidly, a thousand beats a minute, as she gazed down at her teammate. If he cuddled with her so sweetly, looking the way he did—with his taught face slack, his short lashes spanning out, nose twitching here and there—she felt as though she wouldn't be able to let go of him. Or rather, of her feelings for him. She was supposed to be trying to move on for the sake of their already blurred friendship. And yet…she found that she simply couldn't.

Not at the time, anyway. Maybe later, when he didn't look so innocent that it tugged at her heart strings. Lucy smiled, running her fingers through his hair again.

Maybe later.

And during this touching interaction between teammates, the blonde did not see the pair of bright green eyes narrowing in distaste.

* * *

_**Neena's Corner:  
**_

_**And so the plot thickens... Dun, dun, dunnn! Woah, Galahad, jealous? Angry? Devious, I think is more appropriate, but I'll leave that to you ;) But what happens next? Find out in the next chapter, chapter 11: The Evidence!**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL MY** **REVIEWERS:**__ xXxMoozerxXx, chocolander, Beautiful Sensations, NonieBee, Ranting and Raving, Dyvee, TheLostHope, RandomMeowz, KHLostEmpress, LinkWarriorInGreen, lurvevanilla, Sinares, Lady Violet Fire, xXFanGirlingXx, Amychama248, Einn, Weber, xxJcc161xx, misstirius, Cupcake-Lover-1374, nessa, GoldenRose Tanya, Anon, leoslady4ever, KawaiiOdango, dog's paw burning in hot ash, BlueBellXx, Masterday, QueenP19, GuiltyCrown09, Eternal Anime Fan, The Keeper of Worlds, Disappear500, TheOneMagic, LuckyLifeSmile, Kagome Juh._

_**You guys are all so amazingly awesome! Really, you are! I love reading each and every one of your reviews, so please, review again. It makes me so happy I could melt into a puddle of boneless goo and be completely fine with that. Forreal. SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO **_BEAUTIFUL SENSATIONS!_ **Your reviews are always so long, detailed and wonderful to read that I just felt like I HAD to say something! You're wonderful darling, virtual hugs for you! :D**  
_

_**Anon:**Thank you for noticing! I, too, get irritated when people portray the, ahem, "symptoms" in ways like that. So, I made sure that, IF she would get, well, you know, that it would be done correctly. Er... if that makes any sense whatsoever XD Man, it's hard to reply without giving parts of future chapters away!  
_

_**Ranting and Raving:**Ah, my dear friend, all will be revealed in due time, I assure you ;) And I also assure you that it will be worth your while!  
_

_**Sinares:** Hmm, if I've mapped out my timeline correctly, and this may be just a little off, it's been about a month and a half since the..."incident". :3 Hoping this helped!  
_

_**On another note, thank you to all of you that gave me some wonderful suggestions for Ulquihime! I was thoroughly sated for quite a while, thanks to all of you :3 Seriously. I don't know why, but that pairing just has so much sexual tension that it's wondrously glorious. It's like soaking in a hot bath and not caring if you get all prune-y from the water XD  
**_

_**Ahem. REVIEW! Love hearing your thoughts!  
**_


	11. The Evidence

_**Hello all! So terribly sorry about not being able to update last week :( As some of you know, I was diagnosed with pneumonia and sent to the hospital for treatment; I couldn't exactly update from the hospital, but I kept on writing so I didn't feel totally useless :) Right now, I'm home but still recovering, I got to come home on Christmas day and be with my family, which was the best Christmas present I could've asked for :D So updates might be slower in the future, depending on what happens with my health, but, I've been making a steady recovering, so I think I'll be fine! Anyway, I hope you all had a very, merry Christmas! And a happy early new year too! I can't wait!  
**_

_**CONGRATS TO **Sinares** FOR BEING THE 200TH REVIEWER! WOOHOO! OVER 200 REVIEWS :)  
**_

_**Ahem, now onto the story... Remember to review, your thoughts are always so encouraging!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Evidence**_

* * *

The train ride hadn't taken all that long, probably somewhere around two or three hours. But it had felt like an eternity to the blonde celestial mage—one, because Natsu had been contently sleeping on her lap and nuzzling her stomach, and two, because Galahad hadn't said a word for the rest of the ride. Not that she particularly wanted him to talk to her, but, it was strange because Galahad always had something to talk about.

But no, not this time. He'd simply sat there, sometimes letting his eyes fall upon the celestial mage and dragonslayer.

If she were being completely honest with herself, Lucy felt it a little bit odd. Especially since he seemed so interested in her relationship with Natsu—and this was another thing that Lucy found to be a bit strange.

But, either way, the train ride had been completed in silence, much to the other passengers' relief, and the trio had stumbled their way to the Waas forest where Bandit Wu had last been spotted. And as she hiked up a large hill, twigs and leaves crunching under her sandals, Lucy felt sweat gathering on her neck in anxiety. Just behind her were Natsu and Galahad; and she didn't need to see them in order to feel the animosity in the air, it was practically palpable.

Though the two males were silent, the increasing tension between them was ever present and ever so obvious.

Oh, Mavis… Lucy found herself thinking. This had been a bad idea, a _very_ bad idea. Natsu was always high-strung around the illusionist and one small spark would be enough to evoke a raging, blazing storm of fiery anger from the dragonslayer. And Lucy knew that she wouldn't be able to stop him from doing something rash. So now, as she trudged onwards, shooing bugs from her face and pushing away stray branches in order to prevent them from scratching her skin, she was hoping—_praying_—that neither would try and instigate a fight.

If they did start a fight, however, she was hoping that Galahad would have a cool sense of reason and refuse to engage. Of course, she then remembered that they were both men—high on testosterone and low on rationality, always itching to punch someone else's face in.

Lucy sighed. This mission was hopeless—nothing good would come of it, she knew.

Both of them were so childish in their own way—Natsu with his reasoning, and Galahad with his confidence. Rather than tagging along with two men, it felt as though she were chaperoning two feuding, pre-pubescent boys with nothing better to do than to disagree with each other for the sheer enjoyment of disagreeing. If it could even be called enjoyment; Lucy, for one, was certainly _not_ enjoying the atmosphere.

She refused to look back at them, for fear that it would encourage that very spark she hoped to keep smothered. Huffing, Lucy glared at the miscreant branches bombarding the 'safe' path that they had been traveling. Stupid branches.

Natsu watched warily from behind as his partner snuffed, turning her nose up angrily, and swatted away yet another branch of foliage. He heard her mutter something darkly and scoff.

There was something off about her, he realized with a start as he studied her behavior. She hadn't been quite the same lately—a little antsy maybe, more guarded, not as engaging, a little more secretive. And…he supposed it worried him a smidge. After all, Lucy was his best friend, his _nakama_. They shared everything together—except for now, it seemed. Now, something had changed between the two of them, and he didn't know what it could possibly be.

Had he done something wrong again? Lately, she'd been getting very upset with him over tiny details—some of which he didn't completely understand. But, he thought, he hadn't done anything as of late to invoke her wrath; or at least he thought he hadn't. Perhaps he had done something on the train ride. Lucy had seemed irritated with him because of his nausea, but she hadn't ever been _angry_ with him for it.

Maybe she had been angry that he had sniffed her?

After all, Gray had told him that girls thought it was weird if someone randomly sniffed them. So, was that the issue, then? Lucy hadn't exactly yelled at him, but she hadn't told him that it had been okay either. So, he didn't really know if he was in trouble or not…

Natsu glared.

Women were too hard to understand—too much of a puzzle for him. He would never understand why Gildarts had such a fascination with them, being the complicated creatures they were.

But…one thing he did understand was that Lucy smelled wonderful. More than wonderful; which worried him more than it puzzled him. He really hadn't strongly noticed her scent before, so why now? Why was he picking up one this new smell now of all times?

Suddenly, there was a snort from his left—from Galahad. "I'd be forever entertained with those expressions of yours. You have so many, it's astounding."

The dragonslayer bristled at the comment, scowling darkly at his newest _nakama_. His fist clenched till his knuckles were white due to the lack of blood flowing through his appendage. He couldn't hit Galahad—or rather, he couldn't _afford_ to hit Galahad. Not with Lucy directly in front of them, she'd get angry, and Natsu hated it when she was angry—mostly because she tended to hit him when enraged.

The illusionist blinked in surprise, clucking his tongue against the inside of his cheek. "I'm rather surprised," he said calmly, eyes sweeping over the terse body of his teammate. "You usually would have made an attempt to hit me by now."

Natsu only let his eyes dart towards Lucy's parading figure up ahead, her arms swinging by her sides, her blonde hair swaying with the breeze. Galahad followed his teammate's line of sight before coming to an understanding.

"Ah, I see… Acting like a good boy in front of your partner? How noble," Galahad sarcastically remarked.

Again, Natsu glowered at the comment, his dark green eyes narrowing. He was so close to abandoning his restraint—Lucy could be angry with him so long as Galahad would just stop talking. But, instead, Natsu inhaled deeply, his pink brows furrowing during the motion. He exhaled, opening his eyes.

"Look," he began through gritted teeth. "Everyone else may trust you, Lucy may trust you, but I don't. You're my _nakama_, and I respect that, but if you're looking for a fight, I'd be more than happy to kick your sorry ass to next Tuesday." Natsu regarded Galahad sternly, flames flickering on the very tips of his fingers as a show of warning. "And stay away from Lucy," he snarled lowly as an afterthought, pointing a vicious finger at Galahad's broadened chest.

But, despite the deadly threat from his own teammate, Galahad found the urge to laugh. He stared at Natsu almost incredulously, his light green eyes sparkling in what looked to be amusement. "Are you in love with her?" he asked lightly, appearing very unfazed.

Natsu stalled, his hand falling limply to his side, his jaw going slack. In love…with Lucy?

"She's…my _nakama_," the dragonslayer replied slowly, unsurely. He didn't know how else to say what he wanted to. _Nakama_ meant family, he had always considered Lucy his family, and one was supposed to love their family, correct? So…then he loved Lucy because she was his _nakama_.

"Ah, just your _nakama_…" Galahad nodded, rubbing his stubble-free chin with a single, clean and tan hand. "If she's just your _nakama_," and he leaned closer to the dragonslayer, his eyes no longer humorous and entertained, but dark and serious, "then don't get so full of yourself. Lucy is simply your _nakama_; you have no right to dictate which men she chooses to surround herself with. You're only her best friend, nothing more."

At these words, Natsu felt as though ice water had replaced his blood. Along with this feeling—the feeling of ice flowing through his veins, making his very body numb to touch and sensation—something settled over him. Dread, he realized after a short while. Dread.

"Also…" Galahad hummed over his shoulder as he trekked forward. "Watch your back. Because before you know it, I'll have stolen Lucy right from under your nose."

Without another word, the illusionist hiked away, leaving Natsu to pick up the end of the trail.

o0o

Curiously, Lucy peeked over her shoulder at the two very quiet males trailing behind her—had she not heard the tell-tale sounds of leaves, twigs and gravel crunching under their feet, she would have sworn that the two of them had strayed from the path. Galahad was a few paces behind her, Natsu a ways away behind him; and both were as quiet and as sulk-ish as a gloomy funeral procession. Lucy turned her head back around, simply confused as a frown etched itself upon her delicate face.

The two should have had at least three fights by now with at least one ending in physical blows.

And yet…they hadn't even said a word to each other as far as she knew—she hadn't seen or heard them conversing, at least. Lucy couldn't decide if this was good or bad. She supposed it was good because there was, for once, peace between the two; but then again, it could probably be equally as bad, as they could have very well planned to rip each other limb from limb at a later time when she wasn't present. It unnerved her, it really did.

So, she took another glance, trying to discern their true intentions from their expressions—and she tried to make it nonchalant. However, when she made eye contact with Galahad, he grinned smugly at her, like his usually pompous self, and she had to break eye contact first. With a snort, she concluded that Galahad was fine if he was smirking at her. She then took notice of Natsu's expression…

He looked pale, for once. Natsu never looked pale. And he seemed deep in thought—another thing that hardly ever happened; Natsu had never, ever been the one for deep thinking: that had always been _her_ forte. Suddenly concerned, Lucy's steps slowed a fraction. Her hand reached out, as if she would be able to touch him from a distance.

"Something wrong?" Galahad's voice interrupted her, causing her to jump and almost trip on a protruding root, like a vein in the dirt ground.

Lucy regained her previous pace, plastering a smile on as her hand fell back. "No," she replied warmly. "Nothing's wrong." And the blonde turned around once again, taking long strides up the newest hill.

She almost groaned aloud. They had been met with so many twists, turns, thickets and hills that her feet were becoming sore. And her feet hardly ever became sore from walking. All Lucy wanted to do now was sit down and kick her feet up for a short amount of time, relax a little. But, of course, she knew that this couldn't and definitely wouldn't happen, seeing as both Galahad and Natsu wanted to locate Bandit Wu as soon as humanly possible.

She didn't blame them. The sooner they found him, the sooner the trio could collect their pay and leave.

The celestial mage sighed. She really did want that break though…or the sudden discovery of Wu's last hiding place—that would be magnificent, she thought happily. Though, she knew that it would never happen, it would make the mission too easy and missions were hardly ever easy. It wasn't as though they would find his previous campsite or anything, but maybe a torn article of clothing or a lock of hair, or even a drop of blood that Natsu could somehow trace.

But so far they had come up with absolutely nothing. Not even a grain of rice from Wu's last meal.

This frustrated Lucy, it really did, and just when she was about to turn tail and demand that they take a break, she saw something incredible.

A clearing.

Stunned, Lucy froze, shock splaying across her face quickly.

Galahad, just behind her, picked up on this sudden action and worriedly asked, "What? What is it?"

Lucy blinked. "I think…I think I just found a campsite clearing," she announced a bit skeptically, eyeing the small, circular area just in front of her.

"A campsite clearing?" the illusionist behind her repeated, equally surprised it seemed by his tone of voice.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, at least I think it is… I can't tell from here."

In response to her own statement, Lucy inched closer to the mysterious clearing, eyes sweeping the area carefully and cautiously, watching and waiting for any and all surprise attacks. But there were none, it seemed, as she edged further into the desolate area.

There was nothing, in fact. No people, no camping gear, no weapons, not even footprints. Lucy kept looking over the place carefully; there had to be something to go on, some sort of clue. Bountiful trees, bushes and thickets surrounded the clearing, which was covered in dirt and dry leaves, and there were large rocks here and there. The rocks were strange though—flat and smooth on top as if the weather had eroded them, or someone had carefully sanded them down to make suitable seats.

Other than that, though, it seemed to be like any other random clearing. Lucy wouldn't have been surprised to see a deer suddenly prance through—it was that normal-looking and that undisturbed by mankind.

Feeling defeated, Lucy kicked her foot out in frustration, hoping to vent her anger out on the dirt. She didn't expect to accidentally kick a twig, however. Surprised, the blonde looked down at her feet, expecting a small gathering of branches that had fallen from one of the nearby trees, but instead, she was met with the sight of charred, half-logs, burned to a quarter of what would have been their normal size.

She jumped back with a sudden, thrilled squeal.

"Guys!" she called. "It _is_ a campsite! I just found a fire-pit!"

Mere seconds later, both men—Natsu following rather closely behind Galahad—stumbled into the clearing, their eyes wide with surprise. It appeared as though the two of them had been preparing for battle, as Lucy caught sight of Natsu quickly extinguishing the flames gathered in his hands. Galahad seemed equally as terse.

"A fire-pit?" Natsu finally asked, stepping out from behind Galahad and not-so-subtly knocking shoulders with the other male.

Thankfully, Galahad let the matter slide and only gave out a low snort of irritation.

Lucy pointed down to the ground with her index finger at the spot just in front of the toe of her sandal. "Right there," she explained as she traced the outline of what once was a small circle lined with stones.

Galahad approached before crouching down in a squat and examining the burned dirt and the charred sticks with a tender hand. He picked up a log, testing the weight in his hand, rubbing the soot between his thumb and index finger. "It's fresh," he said, placing it carefully back down with the rest of the embers. "The log's still warm and the ashes are easy to dislodge."

Natsu snorted indignantly. "Since when did you become the expert?" he snootily remarked with a heated look as Galahad rose, clapping his hands together in order to wipe away the soot and ash.

Galahad met Natsu's haughty look with a smirk. "I went camping as a kid, picked up a few tricks."

Natsu opened his mouth to retort, Lucy grimacing in dread as he did so, when a sudden and impossibly-strong breeze rattled the trees, causing a miniature whirlwind to carry leaves and small twigs around the area.

"Ah!" Lucy cried out, feebly holding her hair back with both hands.

Foliage of all kinds rapidly swirled through the air, carried by the sudden gust of wind, and colliding none too gently with the trio.

Galahad placed a hand in front of his face in an attempt to block the strong winds and shrapnel while Natsu did the same. The dragonslayer inhaled sharply as a gush of wind hit him square in the face, various smells flooding into his mind. Mud, dirt, grass, leaves, wood, blood…

He stilled, blinking away debris.

Blood?

The wind died down as suddenly as it had come, leaving Lucy miffed. She huffed her displeasure as she straightened out her clothes, flicking away shreds of grass and loose leaves as well as dirt. "Really," she sniffed, irritated, "the weather in this forest is about as unpredictable as Erza's personality." The blonde continued to wipe down her clothes in exasperation.

The illusionist chuckled, as if amused by Lucy's mishap. Gleaming green eyes appraised the sight before him—her hair tousled with tufts sticking up here and there, clothes ruffled and hiked up in absurd angles, her look of concentration as she chewed on her bottom lip. "I rather like seeing you this way," he mused aloud to her.

She only spluttered something unintelligible.

And Natsu…was silent throughout this whole scene. Not a peep came from the dragonslayer. He was far too busy contemplating.

How could he have scented blood?

His face contorted, his eyebrows pulling down over his darkened green eyes, lips twisting.

"Natsu?"

He blinked, startled to hear the concern in Lucy's voice. Looking up, the dragonslayer saw her worried face as she came closer to him, an arm held out.

"Is something wrong?" she asked hesitantly, searching his eyes with her tawny gaze.

Natsu frowned again, peering down at the charred ground beside his feet. "I don't know, Luce… When that wind came by, I smelled something…" He trailed off, leaving out the word 'blood' for fear of frightening his partner. Natsu crossed his arms instead and fixed his sights on the horizon.

Lucy, however, looked as though she weren't ready to drop the conversation. "Something?" she prompted. "What did you smell?" There was a slight hopefulness that filled her voice, as if she were expecting something. "Was it Bandit Wu?"

Pausing, he shook his head in a declining manner. "No," he responded.

"Oh…" Lucy frowned, her sudden enthusiasm vanishing. "Well, then what was it?"

Natsu's lips thinned. He didn't want to tell her—telling her that he had smelt blood in the area would only cause her to panic, and Natsu really hated to see her panic; it drove him near crazy when her watery eyes widened in fear and her bottom lip trembled like a child's. It was a look he did his very best to avoid. "Luce…" His tone had a hint of warning to it.

Lucy felt her blood chill at the intonation. Whatever he had smelled, it hadn't been good.

"Hey!"

Both jumped before snappily craning their necks in Galahads direction to see him farther away, standing next to one of those plateaued rocks Lucy had seen earlier. He was pointing at it, his lip curling in disgust.

"It's blood…" he said warily.

Lucy choked out, "Blood?"

Natsu felt himself grimacing. So that had been what he'd smelled, the rock. Curiously, the dragonslayer made his way to the rock with long strides, leaving Lucy standing by herself, shivering. Once by Galahad's side, Natsu regarded the rock beneath his gaze solemnly, his green eyes dull.

There was a red handprint painted on the very top of the rock, droplets outlining it and spanning in between the fingers, the bottom half smeared as though the hand had roughly been yanked from the rough surface.

"Is it animal?" Galahad asked, referring to the type of blood.

Natsu shrugged before he, reluctantly, opened his mouth and let the tip of his tongue taste the air. The metallic and very recognizable scent of fresh blood bombarded his senses and he had to cringe in distaste, his eyes clenching shut. "It's human," he rasped after a while, trying to hold his breath.

There wasn't a vast amount of blood, just that one handprint and it was fairly light. But, Natsu had very keen senses, at least five and half times stronger than the average person's; and this made that smell of blood as strong as Lucy's new perfume.

Lucy cleared her throat quietly, timidly. "Is it…Bandit Wu's?" Her voice was small.

Natsu turned to her. "I know that it's human, I don't know if it's Bandit Wu's, though…"

All at once, Lucy felt herself growing increasingly queasy. The thought of human blood staining this campsite…disturbed her, for some reason. She was a big girl, she could handle seeing blood. What she couldn't handle, though, was the remote possibility that the blood staining the rock in front of her belonged to a stranger who had fallen victim to a ruthless convict. She shivered again, rubbing her goose bump-covered arms, feeling a yawn coming on. She stepped back, creating a gap between her and the red-stained, flat rock.

"You okay, Luce?" Natsu questioned, seeing her reactions out of the corner of his eyes. He was worried about her, about how she would deal with the thought of a possible victim. She had never taken too kindly to those sorts of scenarios, even when she wasn't particularly involved with them.

She shrugged off his concern with a typical, "I'm fine, Natsu, just tired." The celestial mage stretched her back, her spine arching in a show of exhaustion. "We've been walking for hours after all…"

But, despite her clear dismissal, Natsu's keen ears picked up something rather strange from the blonde. Her heart rate. It had accelerated. This was strange since Lucy had never really had such a drastic increase in her heart rate before, or at least, not one that Natsu had noticed. Was there something wrong with her? Had she caught another cold or something?

Or perhaps she was just upset over the thought of a victim?

Either way, this worried Natsu to no end. Lucy, despite her sometimes tough exterior, was a genuinely warm, caring and empathetic person; she always fretted over others before herself, sometimes to the point that her mental health suffered in the slightest bit. He knew he would have to stay by her side for the remainder of the trip, if just to ensure her safety and wellbeing.

"Natsu," Galahad interrupted, "can you tell which direction the scent of blood is coming from?" he asked, his eyes molten as he stared the other male mage down.

Galahad hadn't liked the starry-eyed look the dragonslayer had been giving Lucy just a few seconds before.

"I can try," the dragonslayer replied rather vaguely, before attempting to scent the air again. His mouth dropped open, air flooding into his open cavern, ghosting over his tongue and his enhanced senses in a light caress. At first all he could smell was dirt and dry leaves, but then, from the eastward direction of the mountains, he caught the barest hint of the same blood that was on the rock. Natsu closed his mouth with a snap. "It's pretty faint…but I think it's leading in the direction of the mountains."

Galahad turned eastward, staring up at the sky, seeing something that wasn't there—probably the snowy mountains in the distance. "Then we're headed for those mountains," he concluded swiftly. "That blood might not be Wu's, but chances are that it belongs to someone who came in contact with Wu or is in his captivity."

Lucy shivered again. Captivity. Victim. How she hated those words.

"But…first," Galahad paused, looking over his shoulder at the solemn blonde who was staring at the ground. "I think we should take a break, set up camp for the night."

* * *

_**Blood?! Who's blood is it? I wonder if Wu is going to be more of a challenge than they realize... Next time on, Adherence! Chapter 12: The Memory.**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED: **__ULQUIHIME I HAVE, NonieBee, Enma20, SasuSaku-Softball-Vicki, TooLazyToLogIn, xXMoozerXx, xxJcc161xx, nessa, AmuletDragonSlayerFairy, NatsyXLucy4ever2000, Ranting and Raving, leoslady4ever, Lady Violet Fire, Disappear500, Dyvee, luvelguk, Eto117, Beautiful Sensations, GoldenRoseTanya, BeautifulLiar18, dragoscilvio, Anon, KHLostEmpress, GuiltyCrown09, Betta Fische, Sinares, Plop, LoveIsARose, the-clumsy-one, beibieRen, natsu, DanaeMariSkywalker, Kagome Juh, KawaiiOdango, TheLostHope, Cupcake-Lover-1374  
_

_**YOU ALL ARE AMAZING! I can't even... jfhnaldkjfhadoiufhbazkjhfvba kjhaillha. There. My feelings. I love all of you so much, seriously.**  
_

_**TooLazyToLogIn:** Oh, if she really is, I would NEVER. Natsu and Lucy deserve some sort of happiness, ne? I'm not totally sadistic and wicked XD _

_**Ranting and Raving:** Hm, well, they do, I think. But they're WAY different than what we're used to... They don't have to pee on a stick XD  
_

_**Beautiful Sensations:** Have I told you that I love you as well? Seriously, your reviews turn me into a pile of hyperactive goo... :3 Anyway, thank you for the concrit! I'll be keeping an eye out during future chapters so hopefully I won't make readers too squeamish XD  
_

_**Anon:** I'm actually hoping to get more into the "guys POV" in the future :) I want to, but, I honestly have no idea what romance is like from a dude's view seeing as I'm a girl XD But I really do wanna get more into Natsu's thoughts, so I'm planning on trying it out...I just hope it turns out alright, haha!_

_**Betta Fische:** Wow! I can actually answer most of this question without being too vague :D I'll tell you this: they DID have sex ;) Lucy admitted this (and in the next chapter, The Memory...well, I guess the title explains itself XD). As for what's entailing after their, er, encounter, I should say, well...I'll leave it to your imagination!  
_

_**the-clumsy-one:** You'll have to wait and find out! ;)  
_

_**Neena loves all of you! I hope you'll review for this chapter ;)**  
_


	12. The Memory

_**Whaaat? Updating early? Yep. :) Announcement! I will most likely not be updating next Sunday ): I'm going to a Christian youth convention called Rock next weekend (it's so much fun!) and it lasts from Friday all the way into Sunday night. **_

_**Another announcement! WARNING. This chapter is a bit "limey" in the beginning, all the italicized parts... ;) If you are made uncomfortable by mildly suggestive themes, then you may skip everything italicized, or you may turn back now :3  
**_

_**Ahem. Now that we're on the subject, I'm thinking about changing the rating to M. What do you guys think? There won't be any lemons, I can tell you that right now, but there will be graphic contents in the future that might not be suitable for a T rating. Should I change it? I'm on the verge of changing it now just because of the beginning of this chapter... Hmm... Let me know what you think! Also, I changed the cover and summary felt it needed to be mixed up a bit. Thoughts?  
**_

_**Also... KUDOS TO** nessa **FOR BEING THE 250TH REVIEWER :D Also, special shout out to **SubtleJoy **for leaving such a wonderful review :3 And, yet another special shout out to **Beautiful Sensations **for being the first reviewer of the new year! Thanks so much you guys! :D**  
_

_**Happy New Year! What's your guys' New Year's resolutions?  
**_

_**Read, enjoy, and review! I love to hear from you!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Memory**_

* * *

_Warm, calloused hands roamed deliciously over her skin, rubbing, soothing, and kneading. Lean and rough fingers traced the outlines of her muscles delicately; starting at her collar bone, trailing over her swollen breasts, down her ribcage, circling her naval, finding the dip in her hipbones and daring to go even further, touching what hardly any man had been allowed. In response, her bottom half squirmed in delight, an invitation._

_Cracked, but incredibly warm, lips compressed over the skin of her neck at the base before dragging up to the lobe of her ears. Those same lips nipped at her nape, nuzzling the soft, creamy skin, and then traveled back downwards, heading for the collarbone. _

_As the lips clasped onto her collarbone, eliciting a squeal of approval, a thumb flicked at her naval again, the rest of the hand lightly running over her hips hypnotically. _

_It was like he was trying to make her crazy…_

_She couldn't think straight, couldn't form a remote thought of what she was supposed to be doing. So, she didn't think, she just acted. Feeling, touching, tasting…and in return, she was also touched, tasted and silently admired. _

_Two hands pulled her impossibly close to a strong body lined with rippling, expanding and contracting, muscles; her arms encircled a corded neck in response. And her leg, as though it had a mind of its own, roped itself around a thick waist, pulling her lower body even closer as she hummed in pleasure. Those delicious lips were still attached to the skin of her neck, pointedly sucking at the juncture, as a low growl rumbled from her partner, vibrating through her neck and down her spine in a way that made her entire body shiver in delight._

_She gasped, her own fingers searching for the head that was so busy ravishing her body. Her hands were blindly searching, her thin but shapely fingers grasping for the thing that eluded her, clenching and unclenching. Still, she kept trying to find that head in hopes that she might have something to hold onto, to level herself with. She finally found it, after a few more seconds of searching, and dug her fingers through the messy strands of hair, her trimmed nails raking over a scalp._

_That same, low, rumbling voice from before made another noise; a grunt of approval._

_Testily, she let her fingers weave themselves even closer to his scalp before harshly tugging on the hair, forcing his head to look up at her. He let out a snarl, hazy green eyes connecting with her brown ones that she was sure were melting with desire._

_How she wanted this… How she wanted him. _

_The eye contact lasted for what seemed to be as brief as a mere second before he dove back towards her neck, his teeth combing over the skin he had lavished earlier. She exhaled. He was rumbling again, purring like a feline, rolls of thunder generating from his hot, fiery body that transferred to hers. Using her hands that were connected to his scalp and her leg that had hiked up over his hip, she threw herself completely next to him, their bodies pressing together. A seam was created by their connected skins, tanned next to creamy, hands roaming anywhere and everywhere._

_Both were huffing, searching for anything to touch, to feel, anything to feel that sensation of being one._

_She found her own lips ghosting over the taut skin of his shoulder, a light kiss that made her partner start._

_There was a short pause in which there was no movement._

_And she, curiously, repeated the same action, pecking him on the shoulder once more, and then again, and again, softly, sweetly, tenderly. Another groan reverberated throughout their connected bodies. And his lips were moving over her skin again, making a clear path to her ear. His teeth nipped at her lobe, causing her to jolt, before he removed his teeth, dragging his warm mouth directly over her ear with a barely audible huff of,_

"_Lucy…"_

o0o

Natsu was worried. Not particularly about this mission, or about himself, but rather about his partner—Lucy—as she was already fast asleep in her sleeping bag. He frowned. It was very unlike her, he knew, to go to bed without a shower; it had always been a rule that she had to be clean before turning in for the night, a rule he had never quite understood but respected. So, when they had set up camp just after sunset, Galahad kindling a fire, and Lucy had announced that she was going to bed…

The alarms that had been going off in Natsu's head were raring again. There was something totally wrong with her, with Lucy.

Her scent had changed, her personality had changed, her emotions had changed, and now her ingrained habits—that she had painstakingly made sure that everybody knew of—had changed.

There was something up, Natsu realized as he watched her sleep, snuggling in her sleeping bag. She looked okay, physically wise—she was breathing normally, her chest rising and falling rhythmically, and she wasn't moaning in pain, so he supposed that either she hadn't noticed the changes, or she was trying to hide them. And the thought surprised him, really, that she would feel the need to hide something from him, her partner, teammate, and _nakama_.

"Thinking hard about something again, partner?" Galahad's smug voice suddenly asked from the other side of the campfire.

Natsu glared into the glowing flames, feeling the heat from the fire spread across his already hot face. His hands balled into fists.

"About Lucy, is it?" the illusionist pressed, as if he knew.

Gritting his teeth, Natsu refused to respond, and simply stared into the fire, watching as embers floated away in the night air, being carried with the breeze. He inhaled patiently—he'd been using that a lot lately, patience; and granted, he'd never, ever been a patient person.

"I see…" Galahad continued to muse, as if Natsu were actually carrying on a conversation. "Feeling worried, are we? She's been…different lately," he said, appearing as if he, too, were watching the embers fly with the wind.

Natsu's eyes snapped to the form of the illusionist who was hunched over and sitting by the fire with his elbows braced on his knees. "And how would you know?" the dragonslayer questioned sardonically, defensiveness laced in his tone very clearly.

Galahad wasted no time in releasing a chuckle. "I know her better than you might think; we've spent some time together."

Natsu quieted at this. What was that supposed to mean? Some time together?

"Oh, she didn't tell you?"

Natsu stayed silent. No, he wanted to say, she hadn't told him anything. Nothing at all.

"We went on a date the other day to her favorite bistro; though, I don't think you know where it is… It was cute, looked just like something she'd like." Galahad acted as if he didn't see the dragonslayer across from him tensing, the muscles in his arms twitching. And Galahad felt the urge to smirk. He knew exactly that he was doing—he was baiting the fire mage, setting him up for failure.

Natsu's eyes were flickering with something akin to disbelief in their stormy depths. There was no way, no possible way, that Lucy had gone on a…_date_ with Galahad. Natsu knew it, he believed it; Lucy had even told him that she didn't fancy Galahad, that she thought he was an arrogant child. And yet, despite this knowledge, a part of him, deep down, kept imagining the scenario of Lucy, his partner, and Galahad together. Some dark part of him _believed_ the illusionist, and Natsu loathed himself for it—he wouldn't dare doubt Lucy's word. Not ever. But somehow, someway, and for some reason…he was doubting her. And it didn't sit right with him.

A low, angry growl came from the back of his throat, much like the menacing sound an animal would make. Yet, this didn't faze Galahad, who merely watched as the dragonslayer glowered into the flickering flames—his emotions clear as perfect, polished crystalline as they flashed across his face with each passing second.

The dragonslayer was being filled with doubt, Galahad knew, and was trying in vain to uproot the seed before it began to grow into a weed of distrust. But that weed would grow, and it would flourish with the right nutrition…

Galahad almost wanted to laugh in sheer spite.

But at the small, low whine, of, "Natsu…" both men began to still, their hardened gazes softening a significant portion.

Galahad raised his eyes from the fire, his line of sight travelling over Natsu's shoulder to the bundled blonde, curled up in her sleeping bag. She was squirming, he saw, after a brief moment of concentration due to the dim lighting supplied by the small, but thriving campfire.

Natsu also looked behind him, startled, and watched as Lucy continued to writhe in her sleeping bag, almost as if she were uncomfortable. Her feminine face was contorted, twisting as her lips pulled themselves into a frown and her eyebrows drew downwards over her closed, scrunched eyes. His dark, brice-colored eyes dragged slowly across her huddled form as her hands began moving—pushing at something, twisting, kneading now and then at something unseen.

His throat was going dry as he continued to watch her, and his heart was doing this strange…_constricting_ thing, almost as if he were worried—or, he thought darkly, _thrilled_. She groaned something again; something soft, barely audible, and low in key—but Natsu's ears didn't miss the single word uttered from her thinned lips.

"Natsu…"

And he was standing—he barely registered leaving the small chunk of wood he had turned into a seat—suddenly, blinking owlishly at his partner. Was she in pain? Had her cold come back? Was that why her heart rate had been so irregular earlier?

"Luce?" he called out in a whisper, just barely letting himself inch closer to the blonde. His hands had extended, in something of a cautious manner, before he had even realized it.

Lucy mumbled something intelligible, tossing in her sleeping bag, her tone rising in volume. That tone, which had started off so lowly that only Natsu's keen ears had managed to detect the pitch, began rising even higher and higher until she sounded like a wounded animal, crying in distress. Her body jerked, limbs flying with the movement, her head snapping back.

Natsu was next to her in the next instant, kneeling in the dirt and letting the crisp foliage stain his white, pant-clad legs, his tender hands hovering over her body hesitantly. It was almost as if he were afraid to wake her. "Lucy…" he murmured finally after watching her ample chest heave.

Her milky skin was glistening with sweat, from the heat of the fire or the sheer force of the dream that she was having, Natsu had no idea—but she was drenched. The salty water was pooling in the juncture of her collarbone, dripping over the ridges when she gulped and gasped for air every now and then. She had stains on her nightwear, too, the dragonslayer noticed after a quick, sweeping glance over her body; and the celestial mage would not be happy to notice that in the morning—Lucy hated sweat stains practically more than anything else in the world.

For the sake of her sanity and future temperament, she needed to be cooled down; if at least a little.

So, Natsu gingerly, or, as gingerly as the roughened mage could manage, draped his toughened hands over her shoulders, pulling her out of her sleeping bag just slightly and onto his lap, and pushed back the covers in hopes of letting her overheated skin breathe the fresh night air. The reaction was instantaneous—Lucy stilled, her entire body falling limp at the skin-on-skin contact, before sagging into her partner with a content, dreamy sigh.

"Natsu…" she said again, her voice even softer than before.

He was torn. Here his long-time partner and best friend was, sleeping on his lap, whispering his name for whatever reason. Was he supposed to leave her like this? He didn't know… Waking Lucy had always been a very bad idea, as she had quite the temper when angry, so he didn't want to dislodge her for fear that the sudden action would startle her awake. Therefore, Natsu supposed that he could sleep like this. After all, they _had_ shared a bed together before, and on more than one account at that—this wasn't exactly anything new.

Before he could make any proper decision, though, a questioned was asked. "Is she okay?"

Natsu quickly peeked down at the slumbering teammate on his lap—her damp hair tousled wildly, sticking up in various odd angles, plastered to the wet skin of her face in some places. A strand was caught on her mouth, he saw. The dragonslayer pulled it away carefully with a single finger. "I think it was just a nightmare," he replied to Galahad, never once looking back over his shoulder at the illusionist who had, no doubt, come closer to the pair.

"A nightmare, you said? Does she have those often?"

Natsu barely kept himself from snorting—the arrogant man almost sounded concerned.

"No, not unless they're about her father…" Natsu responded. He remained still with Lucy in his lap, letting her nestle her head into the crook of his elbow; it almost looked as if he were trying to cradle a newborn.

"Her father…" Galahad's sultry voice hummed speculatively. "I've heard the stories—she loved him dearly, didn't she?"

The dragonslayer felt his eyes flickering back down to Lucy's small form again, the answer hesitant on his tongue. He ground his teeth together before saying, "She does," he emphasized the present tense with clarity, his eyes darting to the corner of his vision, searching for Galahad's pompous figure. "Even though she denies it to most people." Natsu's hand tightened on her shoulder.

He'd _seen_ her cry, _heard_ her sobs, _smelt_ her salty tears. Though she hadn't known at the time, and she still _didn't_ know at the present time, he had been there, he had secretly witnessed and felt her pain—because he knew what it was like to lose a father; he really did. And as _nakama_, as her family, he wanted to share her pain.

If only she would let him help her with the burden.

"You seem to know quite a lot about her."

He blinked. "Lucy's my _nakama_," he said with absurdity in his voice. It was normal for him to know everything there was to know about his _nakama_—in fact; it would have been abnormal had he not.

The illusionist behind him gave out a snort, amusement dripping like honey from his tone when he said, "Yes, yes, your _nakama_…" He stopped speaking, his words trailing off in such a way that it surprised Natsu, if only a little. A few rare beats of silence, and then, "So you know what she finds attractive, right?"

Of course, though, Galahad had to keep going.

"What…she finds attractive?" Natsu's sturdy face fell into a large grimace as he cocked his head a good angle to the left in order to see the third member of his temporary team.

"You, as her partner, her _nakama_—having known her for so long," the bleach-haired, tanned youth drawled out in a dramatic manner, "must know what she finds attractive in men. Correct?" He raised a brow, as if challenging Natsu to say otherwise.

The well-built, fire mage felt himself boiling. So that was what he'd meant—basically, a hint on how to worm his way into Lucy's heart. Instantly, Natsu was on high-alert again, his muscles bunching in anticipation, skin growing tauter as his body ached for combat.

"Oh," Galahad exclaimed, watching the dragonslayer's mood drastically change from curiosity to rage. "So I take it that you do know?"

Oh, Natsu knew indeed… Though he doubted Lucy would ever admit it—and that she would do everything in her power to deny the fact—Galahad, when taking into consideration Lucy's past beaus, was her perfect man. Her ideal. He was fit, he was tall, he was tan, he had the striking features, the attractive smile, and he certainly knew how to charm people—women specifically. He was everything Lucy had been wanting those few years ago when she had been scanning a magazine's list of perfect boyfriends.

And it made Natsu uncomfortable.

Despite this, however, Natsu did know of one reason that she had dumped all of her past loves; all of them, despite their physical differences, had had just one thing in common—they hadn't been smart. They hadn't appreciated books. And Lucy loved books almost more than anything, just like her friend Levy. Though he would never understand this fascination with words scribbled on paper, Natsu let it alone; to each their own, he had been told plenty of times. But, anyway, Lucy hated dating men whom she deemed illiterate—whatever that meant, Natsu had no clue; but he assumed that the term was a fancy word for smart, which was something he was not. This didn't bother him much as Lucy had never particularly cared if he read or not; she seemed more concerned over the fact if everyone else read—her boyfriends in particular.

And, Natsu found himself smirking at the thought; Galahad didn't seem to be the type to read. Not from his actions and manner of speaking, anyway—he was much too arrogant and haughty to settle down and read in peace.

"She likes books," Natsu found himself saying nonchalantly.

Galahad started mildly, confusion washing through his brain. Had Natsu actually given him an answer? Galahad had not counted on that; rather, he had counted on the exact opposite; he had been convinced that Natsu would have refused to answer.

Well, he supposed, at least this game was going to be interesting, then—the less predictable, the more fun.

The illusionist, having paused for a short while due to the startle, quickly recovered by saying, "So I've heard…" He frowned afterwards, staring at the back of the dragonslayer's head with interest.

It was too bad that Galahad simply had no interest, whatsoever, in reading—it had never been that important to him, even as a child. In fact, whatever he read, most likely, it was either a wanted poster or a magazine; after all, during his years as a longing child, he had needed some way to keep tabs on that one particular girl in Fairy Tail. He'd been overjoyed that she usually had interviews done every month and he had more often than not scurried to find the latest copy of Mages Monthly. But, that had been the extent of his reading—nothing like novels, or the thick books he knew that Lucy loved. He supposed that that was one aspect where they differed in interests.

Knowledge.

"She's very smart," Galahad pitched in, thinking a long while about this.

Natsu's already narrowed eyes narrowed into slits. He conceded carefully by saying, "Very."

o0o

Later that night, well after the sun had disappeared from the horizon—taking the beautiful rainbow of orange hues with it and leaving nothing but inky blackness in its wake—Lucy woke with a start. She was cold, curled into a ball on her sleeping bag with the covers drawn back, and yet, her skin was slick with sweat. The blonde's heart was racing, thundering almost painfully against her ribcage, as something like cold water flushed through her veins.

"What…?" she gasped out, throwing a hand up to her tired eyes. Methodically, she rubbed at them in circles, using her index and middle finger to scrub diligently in the corners. The celestial mage stilled after a few moments, the skin around her eyes feeling raw.

She was alone, the fire had long since fizzled out, and both of her male teammates were asleep—Galahad laying down on a blanket, Natsu sitting up with his back propped against a rock directly across from her sleeping bag. Lucy gulped after catching sight of the sleeping dragonslayer—his nose twitching, soft snores tumbling from his mouth. Her eyes were stuck on his mouth, refusing to look anywhere else. The blonde blinked, suddenly, tearing her gaze away with a red face to stare down at her hands.

She had woken because of a dream. Or, rather, a memory.

Lucy, shivering, pulled the covers up to her chin, sinking deeper into her cold, stale-feeling sleeping bag.

How could she have had that memory? That dream? Was she starting to remember what had happened? What had _exactly_ happened?

"Oh, Mavis…" Lucy groaned to herself in dismay, her brown, chocolaty eyes clenching shut at the thought. This was the last thing she had wanted; the very last thing, ever. How embarrassing… To know that she had reacted that way, in which she had acted so wantonly like a needy child, was shaming to her.

But, Lucy paused thoughtfully, if she were being completely fair with herself…

The touch of those gruff hands, the feel of that coarse but warm skin against her own, that hot, damp breath in her ear, that low, intoxicating voice… She hadn't really stood a proper chance against that sort of offense. No one would have been able to resist, she thought honestly. And, the problem wasn't the fact that she had had an erotic dream—as she'd had her fair share, much to her embarrassment—the problem lied with her partner in said erotic dream.

How was she supposed to face him now? Knowing, and now _remembering,_ how his hands had roamed so deliciously over her body, how he had said her name so sweetly. How, exactly, was Lucy supposed to look Natsu Dragneel in the eye from now on?

She honestly didn't know.

* * *

**_Oh, damn. Lucy remembers! Awkward... lol! Anyway, thanks to everyone who wished me well in their reviews! I am pleased to report that I am MUCH better (even went to school this past week...blech.) and that I am now off of my medication completely! Yay! :D_**

**_Next time, chapter 13: The Plan  
_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:_**_TooLazyToLogIn, nessa, ashlieswifty,KHLostEmpress, Dyvee, Beautiful Sensations, SubtleJoy, KawaiiOdango, Ranting and Raving, xXMoozerXx, SasuSaku-Softball-Vicki, GoldenRoseTanya, leoslady4ever, Guest, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, Kagome Juh, SORA-Koori-ryuu, dragoscilvio, Amychama-248. Cupcake-Lover-1374, thunderwolf1324, KanaeHitomi, bob3012, TheLostHope, xxJcc161xx, GuiltyCrown09  
_

_**You're all so wonderful and I love you guys so much! :3**  
_

_**ashlieswifty:** Maybe ;) or it could be something else...**  
**_

_**KHLostEmpress:** Muahaha. The art of trolling, my friend. It cannot be Fairy Tail unless there is a bit of trolling, ne? ;) Good ole Mashima-sensei taught me that :3**  
**_

_**SubtleJoy:** Omg, wow! Thanks so much for your review! I'm astounded that you think so highly of my writing skills :D I do have a timeline mapped out, as you said :) Before I start a story, I write down a plan and list out the chapters and what exactly goes on in each chapter just so I can get a general idea of how long the story will be, how much time it will take, and so I don't forget anything important :D It's really useful! Of course, changes are bound to happen (last minute ideas and whatnot) but it's all good! Haha! Everyone seems to be excited about the action XD I just hope I did it justice :3 I've never really written an action-type scene before ahahaha *nervous*.**  
**_


	13. The Plan

_**ATTENTION ALL READERS! Adherence has been nominated for 'Best Fairy Tail Fanfic of 2012'! :D To whoever nominated this story, I'm so very flattered, and it would mean the world to me if y'all could maybe vote for Adherence? All you have to do is send a PM to OoComputerFreakoO, saying that you're voting for Adherence! For those of you without accounts, you can leave your vote via review in the second chapter of '****The Best Fairy Tail Fanfic of 2012' on CF's profile :) It really would mean the world if you voted for me, but, it's only a request! Link to ComputerFreaks's profile will be on my profile!**  
_

_******Moving on...  
**_

_**Okay, I gotta post this quick! It's my brother's birthday (he turns 16! D: I feel so old...even though I'm but one year older than him...) and I'm also trying to watch the AFC Championship (for those of you who love football, like myself)... Gahhh. I almost wanted to postpone this till tomorrow, but I couldn't do that to you guys. You've waited, what, two weeks now? So, yeah. But, anyway, FOOTBALL.   
**_

_**...Is it bad that I like football more than my boyfriend?  
**_

_**...GO RAVENS.  
**_

_**Ahem.  
**_

_**Any Ravens fans out there with me?  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Plan**_

* * *

After two days—two painstaking, rugged, filthy days filled with hiking through dirt and mud, climbing and scaling over rocks, and a random, unpredicted rain storm—tensions between the team of three were higher than ever; as were doubtful attitudes. Lucy knew she wasn't alone in assuming that Wu had probably already left the forest. Natsu had never been a patient person, and knowing that he had been out here in the wilderness, searching for two whole days without another clue, she felt as though his patience had been tried to its fullest. She wouldn't expect any more out of him—in fact, the celestial mage half-expected him to lose it sometime in the near future and just start setting the whole damn forest on fire.

Lucy grimaced as she imagined her teammate doing just that—smashing through trees with a flame-doused fist, kicking and hollering, demanding the Wu show his "cowardly face", the bushes and trees all aflame in response. She shuddered.

Aside from Natsu, there was also Galahad who she knew was beginning to doubt as he was constantly asking Natsu to double check the air, make sure they were going in the correct direction. Every few minutes, it seemed, the illusionist was craning his neck and head back to peer at his male teammate, demanding for the air to be scented once more.

Both were incredibly impatient. Not that she had any wiggle room to lay blame—she was just as impatient, if not, more so, than the two males.

Lucy huffed, her eyes lifting to the sky covered by the canopying trees. The forest was pretty, gorgeous even, and before now, it would have been hard for the celestial mage to imagine herself loathing such a wonderful place of undisturbed nature. But now, every time she heard the squawking of an exotic, multi-colored bird, or the chirp of crickets, or the croaking frogs, she just wanted to groan and then demand for silence. That was all she wanted at this point—peace and quiet with a place where she could rest her tired feet. Her tired, swollen, aching feet.

Of course, though, she would never have that desired peace and quiet until they managed to catch Bandit Wu, who, in all senses of the word, was being quite the coward. The trio hadn't come across a challenge yet, much to their utter surprise.

There was yet another irritated growl from behind her. "Are you quite sure that it's _this_ direction?" Galahad questioned for the umpteenth time in the last hour.

"I told you, the rain washed away most of the scent," Natsu snapped back, his voice low-pitched. The dragonslayer scowled darkly at the tanned, bleach-blonde who dared to glower back, his lean, scar-free arms folding disappointedly across his chest. Natsu only snorted in response to the action, his dark green eyes flickering. "It should be in this direction, it was the only place where I even remotely smelled blood."

Up ahead, her pretty face falling into a frown, Lucy sighed heavily, her sore shoulders—from sleeping on the ground for two nights—lolling. "Natsu," she mumbled tiredly, feeling another yawn in the back of her throat, "I don't think we're getting anywhere by this point…he's probably changed directions by now. In fact, I'd bet all of my rent money that he has." Lucy set free the yawn she had been holding back, pausing mid-stride to stretch her back and arms.

She'd been getting up at ungodly hours lately for some reason—though, more than likely, this was because she was out in the open with the sun shining directly on her face during the sunrise every morning. Because of this, she had been going to bed rather early as well, managing to squeeze in a good nine to ten hours of sleep. But, still, it seemed as though it weren't enough for her body.

"Well, I know he's here," the dragonslayer stubbornly insisted. "He's here somewhere…just hiding himself somehow."

The blonde, celestial mage let herself sigh again. She stopped walking all together, turning on her heel—after slipping slightly because of the loosened dirt and looking just a smidge like a fool—to fix her male teammates with a pointed look. Her brown, expressive eyes were narrowed with agitation due to exhaustion and frustration. "Well, Natsu, of course he's here somewhere," her reply was sarcastic and a bit biting. "But how on Earthland would he manage to disguise himself? We're in the _middle _of a damn _forest!_"

After the words had tumbled out of her mouth like a steady stream, she paused, blinking. Wait… Forest. In a forest, there was mud, dirt, pollination, and all different sorts of animals…all of them with very strong, distinguishable scents.

Galahad, as if he were analyzing the expressions crossing Lucy's face, suddenly straightened, his own face alight, moss-colored eyes flaring with a sudden idea. He regarded Lucy with a knowing smirk, his lips curving upwards in a smile that made the girl's face flush a light shade of pink, much to her annoyance. "Lucy, more than likely, Wu rubbed himself over in mud after the rain storm to cover his tracks. Hunters do that when looking for prey."

The blonde nodded fervently. "I was just thinking that…" she murmured, eyes breaking away to stare at the scenery around them. She found sudden interest with the purple flower on the trail just by her left foot.

The fire mage of the group scoffed. "If he's masked his scent, then how am I supposed to find him?" he asked scathingly. "I don't have X-ray vision or anything…"

"No, you don't," Galahad scoffed, looking as though he were close to rolling his eyes. "The only way to catch him now is to lure him out into the open…"

"Do you have a plan?" Lucy asked curiously, watching her newest _nakama_ with interest.

Usually, she was the one formulating the plan, since, obviously, she tended to be the most rational and logical person in the group. Having someone else think for a change was a bit strange to her, she thought. Of course, though, if his plan weren't up to par and made about as much sense as Natsu's usual ideas, she would have to shoot the plan down and come up with her own, like usual.

But, when the illusionist smiled, his eyes holding the promises of fun, he caught her immediate attention by saying, "You two will be the first to observe the true nature of my power."

o0o

The Waas Forest was a gorgeous, wonderful area to go camping and hiking. There were bountiful trees, streams, wildlife, and other natural activities to partake in, like hiking. However, when without a proper tour guide or a map, the forest always proved to be a dangerous place; it held lurkers, the desperate homeless, and rabid animals. And it was truly unfortunate for any one person to be caught in such a place, alone, unaccompanied, with no hope of rescue.

Such was the fate of a young girl as she wandered, helplessly and aimlessly, through the vast forest. A very pretty little thing, she was considered a beauty by many, with her long, curling, inky locks that brushed her waist, her petit frame, small hands, delicate body and shapely curves; and, of course, her face which looked as though it had been carved directly by the angels of the heavens themselves. Despite her appearance though, she couldn't have been more than nineteen, at most, and she was still very inexperienced in the world—as vouched for by her pristine, ankle-length gown trimmed with lace, frilled bonnet, pearl necklace dotting her pale neck, and the silk gloves covering her hands as she tugged a suitcase behind her.

How she had gotten here was a mystery, she certainly didn't belong in such a setting, but, from the looks of it, the girl simply wanted out of the forest, and badly at that.

The girl was relatively small, standing just a few inches over five feet, and her arms were frail, never having lifted anything quite as heavy as her own suitcase before. She had been raised as quite the sheltered child.

Trudging on stubbornly, the small girl stepped hesitantly over roots, various bugs, and avoided vagabond branches that threatened to snatch the bonnet she wore right off the top of her ebony-haired head. Of course, the suitcase behind her was proving to be nothing more than menial labor as well, since she continuously had to yank and pull and rely on sheer force to take it along with her on the path.

But, after what felt like hours of tugging and pulling, avoiding and dodging, fanning herself and panting from the heat, she was ready to give up. Appearing frustrated, the girl fanned her face with a single hand before halting completely and glancing around. "Hello?" she called out loudly into the air, the sun setting just overhead as hope filled her voice. "Can anyone hear me? Hello?" The girl released her suitcase, her gloved hands coming to cup around her mouth. "If there is someone here, please, do help me; I'm so, incredibly lost!"

Of course, the poor girl heard but the echo of her own voice through the trees and the chirping of many birds. A shame, really, since the pitiful thing had no other option but to call for help—she was stubborn, but she was reasonable as well; and there was no way she would be able to find her way out of this maze of a forest with her suitcase. And she needed her suitcase—it had all of her clothes and many of the gifts her father had bought for her during his trips around the world.

The girl tried again with desperation. "Please! I'm very wealthy and can pay you any amount you desire, so long as you help me maneuver may way out of this dastardly forest with my, oh, so heavy suitcase!" She peered around her, searching for any sign that her plea had been heard—a rustle in the bushes, maybe, or the sound of a snapping twig.

Still, though, no sounds other than the sounds of nature met her ears, and she began to worry. How was she to get out of this forest on her own? She had never been on her own before, even after she had turned eighteen; one of her father's body guards had always been close by in case of emergency. Now, though, she was all on her own because she had mistakenly taken the wrong train and had made the error of asking a very confused old lady for directions to the nearest town. Oh, how she had wished she hadn't insisted on taking this trip without her father's guidance…

A snapping twig startled the wealthy girl out of her revere.

Immediately cautious, wary of her surroundings, she backed up into her suitcase and let one of her hands rest on the handle protectively, taking sweeping glances around herself, checking the area for danger. She couldn't see anyone or anything; however, that did not necessarily mean that no one was present with her—as she had learned during her self-protection classes, lurkers tended to be excellent at blending in with their surroundings.

"Hello?" she tried, attempting to keep her voice calm.

But the tremor, that slight waver in her voice, proved that she was, indeed, feeling frightened of the situation. And it seemed that the tremor was the only trigger needed, as, before she had recognized the danger she was in, her bonnet was roughly snatched away—the girl gasping in surprise and grabbing at her hair—and mere seconds later, a dull _thunk_ sounded from directly behind her. She swallowed fearfully, her hands trembling, as she dared to look behind her.

Her bonnet—her nice, frilled, lacy bonnet that her mother had custom made for her years ago—was pinned to a large oak tree with a long, skewer-like looking knife.

The girl squealed, the noise barely making it past her lips. "Who's there?" she demanded afterwards, the tremor from before blatantly obvious now. Her fear was emphasized as she kept wringing her shaking, gloved hands. Nervously, she licked her chapped lips.

A rustle from the bushes and she stilled, her heart pounding in her chest, her hands squeezing together tightly. There was a gasping sound, almost like a heaving animal, like something was trying to breathe. "Lost, you say?" a sudden voice rasped from the somewhere in the tangled gnarls of green foliage.

The girl's blood chilled. "Yes…I am," she replied hesitantly as her eyes carefully searched through the shrubbery. She couldn't see anyone—the stranger was well hidden, disguised perfectly in the brown roots and dirt and the green leaves and grass.

"That's quite…unfortunate."

"Indeed…" She paused, reaching for her suitcase behind her with one hand protectively.

The stranger in the bushes, whom she couldn't see at all, let loose a nasty-sounding chuckle, a masculine grunting sound that bubbled like fizz from the back of his throat. "And how, pray tell, did you end up here of all places, my sweet?"

Cautiously, she said, "I…got lost. I accidentally took the wrong train and asked an old lady for directions to the nearest town, but…" She trailed off expectantly, her tone still having that underlying distrust, belying her anxiety about the certain situation.

"I see, I see…" the gruff voice mused. "And you would like help finding your way out of this forest?"

"I would…very much like help, yes."

"And you will pay any amount desired, yes?"

The girl swallowed, tugging her suitcase closer to her back, pressing it protectively against the frilly, layered backing of her cream-colored dress. She backed up. "That is correct."

The stranger paused for a minute, seeming to contemplate, before he questioned, "And all of your belongings are in that suitcase, I presume?"

She spluttered, grimacing at the bushes. "What – "

"Are you alone?"

Her blood had that chilly feeling again, like she had poured ice down the back of her dress. "Yes…I'm alone." She should have denied his claim, she realized with horror, as the bushes before her gaze began the rustle violently, shaking and quivering, twigs cracking with the weight of a foot being placed upon them, leaves crunching.

Scared, she stumbled backwards, trying to create some distance between her and this strange man in the bushes, but, before she could manage to do just that, he emerged; first a dirty, mud-caked hand, then an arm, eventually another arm, and then…his head. His dirty, grimy, dirt-invested, shaggy, un-brushed head, with gleaming dark eyes, and an eerie grin that showed his plentiful, missing teeth.

The girl shivered, her mouth dropping open.

"Alone… That's too bad, really," he said, his yellow teeth showing as he spoke. Those dark eyes glistened again, sending the same creepy shivers along her spine. "Don't you have any friends?"

"I…" She stopped suddenly, her mouth twisting. Why was she still answering this person when he was so, blatantly, setting off all of her internal alarms and red flags? Her light-colored eyes hardened at the pitiful figure before her, his torso being the only visible thing in the shrubbery. "I have to be going now," she said slowly, watching him ever so carefully.

The stranger lifted a dark, dirty brow, his lips puckering in surprise. "Oh? You do, now? I thought you needed help, my dear."

"You seem…" The girl chewed her bottom lip. "Busy," she said eventually, eyeing the bushes around his shrouded body.

"Oh," the man snorted with amusement, "I assure you that I am anything but busy, my dear. I'd be more than happy to help."

Still, the girl shook her head. "That's alright, I don't need much help—I can do this on my own, thank you though." And she promptly turned on her heel, the soles of her shoes digging into the dirt ground ferociously, grabbing the handle of her suitcase.

"Oh? Who ever said that I would be helping _you?_"

Her foot froze just as it went to take the very first step. Her light eyes were wide, like her mother's favorite saucers, as she craned her neck to look behind her left shoulder. "Pardon…?" she whispered shakily, clearly confused.

"Oh, my sweet, it's nothing personal, I assure you. I'm just a selfish man, I prefer to help myself," the man chided wistfully with another happy grin. He waved one of his dirty hands, with mud crusted underneath his blunt fingernails, in a nonchalant way. "As you can see, I'm not the most well off—I live in this here forest due to my infamy in every town across Fiore. But, as you can imagine, being alone makes me quite…" His eyes sparked, a hungry look gleaming in their depths, while the corners of his mouth tugged upwards in a sickening grin. "Bored," he finally said.

The girl backed away just a step.

"Oh, now, now," the man whistled, shaking his head. "Don't run off just yet, the fun is just beginning."

The bushes rustled violently again as he went to reveal the rest of his body. He lifted a lanky, mud-covered leg over the edges of the bushes, his pants sagging from the weight of dirt and twigs. His other leg, however, was dragged out awkwardly with the use of his hands—he had a large, bleeding, pus-invested wound on his right leg's upper thigh, she noticed quickly.

"Yes," the man continued when he noticed her line of sight, "I am injured, and I'm in need of medical treatment. And of fresh clothes as well. Money wouldn't hurt either…" He stopped thoughtfully, watching the girl's every twitch with hungrily, narrowed, beady, black eyes. "And," those same, chilling eyes dragged languidly from the petit form of the girl, to the suitcase that she had been shielding with her body, "I do believe that you, my dear, have just what I need in that suitcase of yours…"

In response to this, the girl's lips thinned and her already pale face paled further until she resembled a spirit in the afterlife. Had she not been wearing such a constricting dress and pinching shoes, she would have made a mad dash already. To where, she didn't know, as long as it was away from this man. Honestly, she should have just run as soon as he had knocked off her bonnet.

"I…I don't have any men's clothing," she stammered. "But if it's money you want, or medical treatment… I can give it to you."

"Give it to me?" he echoed, sounding genuinely surprised. "My dear, now, why on Earthland would you do that?"

Of course, the answer was plain on her face—she knew that he was planning to rob her and was hoping to avoid the epidemic.

"Giving into the bandit?" the man scoffed with disbelief. "Where's the fun in that? Why not try to run, make the chase a thrill?"

The girl frowned, her foot twitching as if it wanted to do just that, to turn and high tail it. But she stood her ground, sweat gathering on the back of her neck and in the palms of her gloved hands. "You're…a bandit?" Her gaze was fearful.

"Oh," he paused suddenly, blinking, "oh, yes, how rude of me. Allow me the pleasure of introducing myself, sweetness. Bandit Wu, the first, last and only." Mockingly, he dipped his head, a gruff laugh erupting from his mouth. When he rightened himself, his black eyes locking onto the ebony-haired beauty before him, his mouth stretched into another large grin, showing his holey and yellowed smile. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance," he remarked sarcastically. "And your name, my dear?" His beady eyes raked over her body—the dress clinging tightly to her curvaceous form, allowing an ample view of her bosom, her slim arms and tiny hands, the jet-black hair that cascaded down her back in ringlets.

The girl blinked her light eyes at him, that look of fear replaced with something else, before saying clearly, "Lucy."

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**_Ohohoho~! What's going on here? Galahad's magic, perhaps? ;) Next time! Chapter 14: The Fluke_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:_**_ Beautiful Sensations, HoshiiNoTenshi, Sinares, moulinrouge32, NonieBee, nessa, hanayuki17, xxJcc161xx, ashlieswifty, llulabelle, KawaiiOdango, Disappear500, Guest, Dyvee, KristyKakes, The Keeper of Worlds, leoslady4ever, KHLostEmpress, GuiltyCrown09, Cupcake-Lover-1374_

_**You guys are so awesome! And, in case you didn't read my memo above, ADherence is in the running for The Best Fairy Tail Fanfic of 2012! I would literally die happy if you guys voted for me by leaving OoComputerFreakoO a PM. You can vote up to 4 stories on her list (the list of nominations is in her story Best FT Fanfic of 2012, chapter 2). Love you all! **  
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_**...GO RAVENS!  
**_


	14. The Fluke

_**Okie, you guys! In case you didn't catch it in the previous chapter, Adherence has been nominated for Best FT Fanfic of 2012! You can vote for Adherence by leaving the author ComputerFreak a PM or a review saying so. The link to CF's profile is on my profile page, so make sure you go and clicky that button! First round voting ends on 2-11-13!  
**_

_**That said, please enjoy! And let me know how I did on the action... I don't think I've ever really written hardcore action before, so some critique would be lovely! Leave a review, my dears!  
**_

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_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Fluke**_

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"Lucy, you say? Why, that's such a wonderful name," Wu mused aloud as he appraised the girl before him, eyes pointedly raking over her figure. "And it's such a shame, really…" He held up a filthy hand, as if he were about to offer her a handshake. But, instead of extending said hand, it began to glow, radiating with light and a bright blue rune symbol.

Lucy, the girl, was exceedingly familiar with the gesture.

When the light faded, Wu, the bandit, had countless knives laced in-between his grimy fingers. So many knives, in fact, that Lucy couldn't count all of them.

"You're quite beautiful," he said, aiming those pointed, gleaming weapons directly at her heart as an eye closed in mock-concentration. "Almost too beautiful, really; you're the girl I dreamed of when I was younger—proper, polite, sweet, beautiful, and so easily fooled." Suddenly, the face that had been doing nothing but smiling for the last hour twisted gruesomely, turning into a sour, horrid frown that left Lucy shivering from its swift and flawless change. "Is this how fate mocks me?" he demanded venomously.

She remained silent, her hands clasping onto themselves tightly behind her back. Her light eyes were still wide.

Wu snorted in irritation. His hands jerked to the side, from the girl to the space directly to her right, the knives glinting in the sunset's orange-pink lighting. "Step away from the suitcase."

Lucy blinked dumbly, her mouth opening to protest.

"Now," Wu added dangerously, his beady eyes turning into slits. "And raise your hands."

The dirty bandit watched carefully as the frightened girl did as she was ordered—raising her hands high above her head, her bottom lip trembling in fear, her light eyes filling with tears. A grin tugged at his lips; how he loved that look on women…that look of complete and utter defeat. It filled him with a sense of power.

And when Lucy raised her hands completely, he felt himself smirking; until, of course, he realized that she was holding something in one of her satin-gloved hands. Something that caught, glinting, in the dim and fading sunlight, he realized after squinting at it for a moment. A key.

He scoffed in an outrageous manner. "The key to your suitcase, if you would be so kind," he said, holding out his left hand, free of daggers and knives, palm up, his fingers curling inwards repeatedly. The action said, _gimme_.

She hesitated a mere moment before making eye contact with him, her gaze suddenly steady and unblinking. "This isn't a key to my suitcase," she murmured to him softly.

Surprised, Wu only blinked at her, his hand falling back as he muttered, "No?"

"No," she affirmed, her hands coming together above her head to wrap themselves around the key. Her light eyes shimmered as she looked back towards the bandit. "I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate!"

Wu, immediately recognizing the situation, felt his skin prickle as the air grew dense with the weight of magic.

"Open the Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"

And there was a sudden cloud of smoke, like a smoke screen had been activated, shrouding the entire path, blanketing any line of sight. When the bandit heard the tell-tale sound of snorting and a deafeningly loud cry that sounded suspiciously like the bellow of a cow, he turned around and headed for the safety of the bushes. However, this escape was prevented when a large battle axe dropped pointedly in front of his feet, coming just a hair of a centimeter short to leaving him without a big toe. Wu froze accordingly, the smoke rising and slowly clearing.

"My, your breasts look _moo_-re wonderful by the day," an obnoxious voice hummed.

"Nice shot, Taurus!" that same, once-scared, female voice sang. "And stop looking at my breasts!"

Wu felt the rage boiling in his stomach. He had been tricked, blind-sided, completely caught off-guard by this…this _girl,_ this _child_ who looked to be half his age. Angrily, he spun around, almost collapsing when he placed more pressure than originally intended on his right leg, the injured one. "Very clever, very sly," he hissed to the young woman, who, much to his surprise, was no longer wearing a dress.

Nor was her hair as black as night, falling down her back like lovely, inky silk—her hair was a fair blonde color, and her once-light eyes were a heavy, molten chocolate hue; a very addicting combination in itself, he thought privately. Her pale skin was flushed pink from excitement, he deduced as he watched the smile slowly spread across her face.

She'd been under an illusion spell, he realized.

And by this girl's side was an overly large, humanoid bull—who towered at a staggering height, snorting and wrinkling the golden ring that pierced his large cow-like nose—that Wu recognized a short moment later as a Zodiac Summon. The bull-man, Taurus, bunched up his enormously large bicep in a show of raw, unadulterated strength, steam pouring from his nostrils.

No doubt, the creature was intimidating, more so than Wu himself.

The bandit requipped, summoning more daggers in both hands. Threateningly, he held them out at arm's length—one hand towards the girl, the other towards her beast. "I give you props, girl, but are you so naïve that you think you're the only one to have set traps?" he asked and waved his hands, the daggers threatening to fly at any moment.

Taurus, the bull, immediately went to place himself between Wu and Lucy, holding out both arms in a sort of shield. He snorted, creating another puff of steam. "Bring it oooooon!" he exclaimed, wrinkling his nose ring again.

Wu twirled the daggers in between his fingers expertly, feeling the small blades kiss his skin like living silver. Considering the stature of his opponent, it appeared as though he'd already lost the fight—after all, he, a wounded, scrawny, desperate bandit, was facing a healthy, impossibly-buff humanoid that carried a double-edged axe almost too big for his own body. However, brain over brawns, as the saying went. If he couldn't physically defeat the bull-man, Wu would just have to outsmart it; which, all things considered, looked relatively easy.

Wu smirked. "Don't you need your weapon?" he called to his opponent, eyeing the axe that laid embedded in the ground just behind his heels.

Taurus grunted. "I am _moo_-re than capable of fighting with my fists." As if to prove this, he smashed his two fists together, the resounding noise like an angry clap of thunder.

Wu inched his foot back towards the bushes again. Taurus had strength. What did Wu have? The power of disguise—he blended in perfectly with the forest surroundings, and the bull would stick out like a sore thumb, just begging to be ambushed with that bulky body and flashy black and white color of his skin. Smirking, Wu whipped around, ready to dash—he would be able to put up with the pain in his leg if for a while—only to stop short robotically.

He was met face to face with two other males—both looking more than eager to battle, the hair on the top of their heads practically bristling with obvious tension. The two stood side by side, relatively close in height, both scowling darkly; the one to Wu's right, his hair a vibrant shade of pink, cracked his knuckles as fire began eating away at both of his taut hands while the one to Wu's left, a young man with extremely light blonde hair, scowled darkly and crossed his arms. It seemed as though Wu had been the one outsmarted.

"So you weren't alone," Wu called back to Lucy humorously. His eyes were trained on the two males in front of him, their auras growing steadily more threatening by the very second.

The pink-haired one looked especially dangerous as he gnashed his teeth together in a display of disgust.

From behind the bandit, Taurus by her side, Lucy replied almost smugly, "I'm never alone…not with my _nakama,_ anyway."

Wu almost felt like laughing—albeit, sarcastically, bitterly and angrily at the same time. His blackened eyes seemed to darken further, if that were even a possibility, as he gazed at the two figures staring him down with deadly intent. No doubt, the two were furious with him for threatening the girl. Ah, such a sight for sore eyes, really, to see men with such a soft spot in their hearts for a single woman—she was special to them, Wu deduced smartly. And the best way to defeat an opponent, was to attack their very heart, figuratively speaking of course; he was to attack the thing they appeared to cherish them most.

The girl.

Faster than the party of four around him could have predicted, Wu had pivoted on his good foot and made a beeline for the girl. Gathering speed, he rushed towards her, hearing her gasp in obvious surprise as his hands stretched outward in a grabbing motion—the knives glinted in his hands.

"Lucy!" came the alarmed cry from a worried Natsu.

But, the bull-man hadn't even needed the word of warning from the dragonslayer; his gigantic body had moved on its own to place itself between his master and the oncoming danger. Enormous arms spread out in a shield, biceps bunching and coiling in anticipation as Taurus glared down the man speeding towards him. Mere seconds later, Wu and Taurus were face to face—or, rather, face to chest—and the humanoid summon wasted no time in reaching out with massive hands, gasping for the bandit. Taurus shoved Wu aside easily without using a good portion of his raw strength.

Wu grunted accordingly, a frown spreading across his face smoothly. Direct attacks would prove to be ineffective, it seemed.

Lucy glanced at Wu and then at Taurus, her hands tightening around the whip attached to her right hip and her fingers dragging across the material of her jeans. "Taurus, don't worry about protecting me, you need your axe," she said pointedly, her eyes snapping to the spirit's weapon laying just a few yards away.

"But, Lucy…" Taurus began protesting without looking back over his shoulder, keeping his keen eyes trained on the calculating bandit before him.

"No buts, I can take care of myself, if only for a little while…trust me. Natsu and Galahad have my back." The blonde's voice was clear and had that unwavering tone of authority to it that compelled most to do as she asked.

Taurus, it seemed, was no exception as he begrudgingly inched to the side with the speed of a snail, his beady eyes still fixated on Wu as though the bandit were threatening to attack at any given moment.

His eyes still darting back and forth between the form of Wu and the weapon he needed, Taurus made a mad dash to Lucy's right, hoping that for all things holy, Lucy knew what she was doing. As soon as he had done so, turning his ripped back to his owner, the bull-man heard the unmistakable crack of a whip and instantly knew that she had drawn out the Fleuve d'étoiles.

His rough hands clasping around the handle of his axe, Taurus rounded and swung his arms in a wide arc. He was prepared to leap into action and defend Lucy, the worst scenario playing through his mind—imagining that in the split second he had turned his back, Lucy had been lethally harmed. Taurus completed his pivot, arms and legs ready to charge, only to see that Wu had made no move on Lucy whatsoever… Rather, he was smirking wickedly, amusedly, while a single knife in his hand glistened as if its blade had been forged from the dust of diamonds.

Lucy's knees were bent, her stance ready for action and cautious at the same time.

And when Wu's hand twitched, she snapped her whip again, holding out defensively. Afterwards, she raised the hilt above her head, pulling it taut as a bow with her other hand, in an offensive sort of stance, but Wu crouched to his knees, his blade sweeping towards the ground near a thick, gnarled root. He'd severed something—a rope, a string, a wire…a spring to a trap.

"You're not the only one who can set traps, my sweet," he hummed darkly.

Confused, Lucy let her arms drop and she took a hesitant, sweeping glance around the area, brown eyes narrowed in suspicion. Nothing from the left, right, or from behind her, she concluded after a minute's pause; her brows creased. Where could there possibly be a…?

Her narrowed eyes widening, Lucy gasped and jumped backwards hastily just as a giant log came crashing down from above, yanking down branches and twigs in its noisy wake. It smashed down, splintering and shattering into shards of sharp wood, sending dirt, moss, leaves and twigs flying in all directions. Lucy coughed as dust seeped into her eyes and throat.

Sneaky bastard, setting up traps beforehand.

"Lucy!" Taurus shouted, having watched the second-long scene in horror.

At the same time, there was the unmistakable chant of, "Lucy!" from her two teammates, both sounding equally distressed. Though, between the two, Natsu's voice had been louder, clearer, and Lucy didn't know if it was because it was just that—louder and clearer—or if it was because she was specifically tuning into his voice, listening for him and him alone.

Drawing in a deep breath, she replied, "I'm fine, I'm fine," to all three concerned males. But honestly, she wasn't all that fine. In her hasty dodge, she had—like a rookie—landed incorrectly on her feet and bent her right ankle at an awkward angle that wasn't entirely natural. Gingerly, the blonde pressed down on the injury, testing the level of pain.

A dull throb twitched but her toes wriggled.

So, Lucy sighed, it wasn't broken, just sprained or dislocated.

"Impressive maneuvering skills, dear," Wu's voice taunted, causing her to simply scowl in reply. "But, unfortunately, your friends weren't so lucky…"

At this, the celestial spirit mage literally felt her blood slowly freeze, turning to cold slush in her veins. "Weren't so lucky…?" she repeated slowly. "What do you mean by that? What did you do to them?" Lucy demanded snappily, hands tightening around Fleuve d'étoiles.

In front of her, limping heavily to one side, Wu grinned, his dirty face glowing with amusement. "Why don't you see for yourself?" he mused, waving a hand to his side in a _viola_ motion and bowing his head in deliberate mockery.

Directly behind him, where Galahad and Natsu had once stood, was a hole. A _big_ hole. A pit, Lucy realized shortly thereafter. Wu had set up a pitfall, and judging from the scraping and grunting noises coming from deep within, her two comrades has been caught in said pitfall.

"Natsu! Galahad!" she called out in alarm.

From inside the pit came a few defined grunts. "We're fine, Luce," Natsu's voice replied, albeit strained. A wheezing cough followed not long after, making Lucy's heart clench. "We'll figure a way out of this, so hang tight for a second." After his voice trailed off came the sounds of sifting dirt and snapping roots, as if hands were eagerly digging into the sides of the pit, looking for a hold of some sort.

"It's no use." Wu peered over his shoulder and into the impossibly deep hole that he had painstakingly dug not but a week ago. "The soil is too soft to support your weight, so don't even think about scaling, and even if you sat atop one another's shoulders it would be pointless... That pit is over 300 centimeters deep, more than double your height. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show." Laughing madly, Bandit Wu threw his head back, a single arm clenching around his abdomen as if to keep himself from falling over.

"Bastard!" Natsu seethed from inside the pit, his rough, calloused hands digging into the loose dirt of the sides. He wound his fingers deep into the soft soil, bypassing roots and small stones, before ripping his knotted fist out angrily in a show of his frustration. Dirt laced underneath his fingernails and delicately filling the lines along his palm, Natsu held up a clenched fist. "If you hurt Lucy..." he hissed warningly, green eyes crackling with promises of pain and suffering.

Above him, feet perched precociously on the edge of the pitfall, Wu cocked an amused, gritty brow. "A threat? That's almost laughable, coming from someone who's trapped in a hole with no means of escape."

"Just you wait," the dragonslayer muttered, his tone dark. "I'll find a way out, and then I'll kick your ass!"

Beside him, Galahad's eyes were narrowed as he began to think over the situation—as he had observed, Natsu was not the brightest when it came to escape plans, but he was right in the general way. They had to find a way out of this pit, otherwise something would probably happen to Lucy. And they'd be damned before they let anyone or anything harm her—it was the one thing that the two of them apparently agreed on.

"Big words..." Wu murmured. "But, unfortunately, I don't have any time to play with the likes of you... A fair lady requires my immediate attention, I hope you understand."

"Bastard!" Natsu repeated as he ground his fists into the sides of the pit.

Meanwhile, Lucy stood stiffly, her gaze shifting from the hole in the ground to her opponent as she weighed Fleuve d'étoiles in her hands. What was she supposed to do? Attack Wu, or save Natsu?

_And Galahad,_ she reminded herself sternly. Galahad was trapped in the pit too, not just Natsu.

Honestly, she didn't know which option to choose. On one hand, she knew she was capable and she felt as though she needed to prove that she could handle herself by taking the bandit down. On the other, she had a dislocated or badly sprained ankle and no other teammates—except for Taurus—to rely on. So, the answer was clear, really. She needed to free Natsu and Galahad first and foremost for the better of the mission. It also meant that she would need to offer herself as bait, again, in order for Taurus to be able to help them.

"Okay," the blonde huffed to herself. "Taurus," she turned to her summon, orders eager on her tongue, "I need you to..." But she stopped after taking in the appearance of her spirit.

He stood proudly just an arm's length from her, he had his axe in both hands and his feet were planted firmly on the ground. The bull-man almost looked completely normal, as he did every other time that he was summoned. But, despite this, Lucy's eyes could not ignore the…_shimmering_ quality to his body. Parts of Taurus were rippling, fading, warping in ways that were exceedingly unnatural. She could honestly say that she'd never, ever seen anything like it…and it scared her to some degree.

"Lucy..." Taurus said, uncertainty clear in his voice.

"What's going on?" she asked meekly when he shimmered once more.

"Your supply of magic is running low...I can't stay here much longer." His voice was low, hesitant, and yet serious at the same time. Dejectedly, the humanoid cast his eyes from his master to her assailant. His mouth twisted down. "I'll find Leo; he should be able to help _moo_-re than I can since he can force his gate open."

Swallowing tightly, her knuckles turning white, Lucy could only nod. Her supply of magic was running on empty? How was that even possible? Taurus had only been summoned for ten minutes at most and she had been in battles that had lasted at least two hours! How could her magic be so depleted? It just wasn't possible.

But when her spirit's form warped again, eliciting a startled grunt from said spirit, Lucy knew that it was _entirely_ possible. Somehow.

But, what she needed to do now was accept the fact that she wouldn't be able to use magic for very much longer—it didn't matter why, as she would take time to deduce the reason later, because it was happening right now. Lucy needed to focus on the _now_. And right now, only one thing was for certain; she had a large handicap—with a foot out of commission and most of her keys now useless, Wu would easily be able to render her harmless.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," Taurus apologized feelingly, his voice belying his utter concern. "I'm confused as much as you are...but it's obvious that I'm not going to remain here for _moo_-re than another minute. I'll find Leo, I promise, and he'll come to help you."

Stunned, and a bit shaken, Lucy only shook her head. "No, it's okay, Taurus... I just recently recovered from a cold, so maybe my magic was affected by it."

"No magic and no friends..." Wu snickered. "No hope!" The bandit lifted his hands, palms facing the treetops, and requipped.

Again, Lucy held out her weapon defensively. "Hurry!" she told Taurus, her voice rising. "I'll need Loke's help."

"I'm ooooon it!" Taurus declared, saluting, before completely shimmering away.

"It's just you and me now, my sweet," Wu chuckled with dry amusement. Then, he revealed his new weapon of choice, and it had Lucy taking a few backwards steps. "This is my favorite toy," he said, caressing it lovingly like a mother would a child, "you should be honored that I would even think to skewer you with this." As if emphasizing his point, Wu shoved the tip of his very large and very threatening spear towards Lucy.

She took another step back, her knuckles whitening around the handle of her whip.

"Guo-Qiang," Wu announced proudly, stroking the hooked blade on the end of the spear's pole. "An ancient weapon and my personal favorite."

It looked about as intimidating as the name suggested. The pole was long, easily over two hundred centimeters, with a gleaming blade on the end that was flat and curved and decorated with red silk strings. Lucy gulped. It was as if the thing was specially made for gutting people on the spot.

"It took me years to master it due to its sheer length…" the bandit continued boastfully. "But don't worry, this will all be over soon enough. And because I think you're…decent," he snorted as if amused by this comment, "I'll think about making it painless. Maybe."

Lucy found herself scowling. "I don't take pity from strangers, and don't worry," she mocked, "you won't even have the chance to land a scratch."

The comment didn't even have time to sink in before Lucy found herself looking down her nose at glinting stainless steel. Startled, she lumbered back, flinging her whip out in automatic retaliation. Of course, it made no contact with Wu and merely snaked around the pole awkwardly. Wu yanked his weapon back, drawing a grunt from Lucy as Fleuve d'étoiles was all but snatched from her hands—she had to pull back in order to keep from losing her weapon.

Huffing, the blonde, celestial mage stared down her opponent carefully, watching his every twitch. He was proving to be exceedingly unpredictable in his strikes, which was bad for her. She liked patterns, she could handle patterns and work her way around them. What she couldn't handle, however, was random attacks—rushing headlong into battle with no plan just wasn't her strong point. It was more Natsu's ideal. But, whatever the case, she was on her own for the time being. She would have to make do with it and manage to avoid his attacks…somehow.

Across the way, smirking at her while he continued to limp to one side, Wu suddenly swung his Guo-Qiang in a wide, side-sweeping, arc. It forced Lucy to bend backwards—and at that moment, she couldn't have wished more that she had taken gymnastics as a child—and put weight on her bad foot. She yelped.

"A bad ankle, eh?" the bandit sneered.

Good, now he had a target. This would all be over in a matter of seconds. And then he would deal with the other two brats in the pit, one at a time, and enjoy slicing them to itty, bitty, unrecognizable bits. Oh, how he loved doing that.

Lucy, grimacing and biting back another cry of pain, shot Fleuve d'étoiles out with a snap, smacking away the blade and forcing him to stumble if only slightly. He then rounded with a counterattack, a chop straight down the middle, heading right down the center of her body. And she would have dodged…if her ankle hadn't decided to give out on her. Collapsing with another gasp, Lucy could only watch in horror as the blade came ever closer. She could feel the wind it created as it cascaded downward.

This was it… She was going to die here.

"Lucy!"

At the familiar voice of her lion spirit, the blonde blinked. And suddenly, she was a good five yards away from the blade-of-doom where it was successfully wedged into the ground, creating a mini-crevasse. Stunned, Lucy gasped again, clutching at her heart.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Loke was kneeling in front of her, concern and anxiety clear across his handsome face.

"I'm…I'm fine," she replied shakily.

"No," Loke frowned, watching as her shoulders slumped and as she stared blankly at where she had been sitting just moments before, "you're not. Stay here, I'll handle this; it won't take long." Rising, Loke began to dust of the dirt from his black slacks and then straightened his collar. The loyal spirit craned his neck and fixed Wu, who looked exceptionally dejected, with a dark glower.

No one touched his master in such away without divine retribution. And Loke was more than happy to deliver the punishment himself.

Lucy blinked again, snapping out of her shock. "Wait!" she said, catching his wrist as he took a threatening step forward. "Wait, I need you to help Natsu and Galahad."

"Natsu?" Loke repeated, stunned, as he met her eyes. "And who's Galahad?"

"Ah…" Lucy grinned wryly, letting out an awkward laugh. "I'll explain later. But, they both got themselves trapped in that pitfall over there." She pointed accordingly to the hole just to her left. "My magic is low, so I can't handle Wu by myself, which is why I'll be the bait until you can free Natsu. And Galahad," she added hastily.

Loke was frowning again, immensely disliking the idea of his precious Lucy as bait. Just the thought made his lips pucker and his tongue curl with sour distaste. "I'm not sure I like the idea of you acting as a decoy," he stated dryly.

"What other choice do we have?" she challenged, a brow raised. "I'm not strong enough to pull them out, and I probably couldn't reach them anyway. It'll only be for a minute or so, I can handle myself for that long, I promise."

The lion spirit was still grimacing, his lips turned downwards. "You handled yourself real well," he remarked sarcastically, feeling the need to roll his eyes behind his sunglasses.

"Loke!" Lucy's eyes narrowed.

"Alright, alright," he conceded hesitantly. "I got it…just don't get hurt, okay? I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt…"

"I'll be fine," she assured. "Just go!" The girl jumped up, balancing on one foot, her whip drawn once more. The fierce look had returned to her eyes, making those chocolate orbs light with female determination that made Loke smile.

"As you wish, Princess."

Once he had turned, Loke heard his master crack her whip, signifying her readiness for battle. With the snaps of her whip resounding in his ear and her grunts of exertion echoing, Loke dashed for the pit, folding to his knees instantly when he caught sight of a familiar pink-haired idiot trying, and failing, to climb up the side of the pit. His outfit was filthy, dirtied with soil, mud, leaves and he had smears of it along his face, hands, feet, legs and matted into his hair.

"Loke!" Natsu hollered, his eyes narrowed and blinking rapidly to clear away the dust. "Where's Lucy? Is she okay?"

"She's fine…for now," the spirit replied. "Come on, grab onto my hand, she needs your help." He reached into the pit, straining for as deep as he could reach, fingers stretching.

The dragonslayer didn't need to be told twice as he leapt up, quite ungracefully, to clasp onto Loke's awaiting hand. Both biceps of the two males bunching and coiling, Natsu was promptly launched into the air when Loke flung his arm back, fire igniting in his hands and engulfing his legs.

"Lucy!" he shouted, teeth bared as the wind raked through his hair. "I'm here…" His sandal-clad feet landed on the dirt ground with an audible thump, zaps of pain racing briefly up through his ankles.

But, unfortunately, just as he caught sight of his blonde teammate and _nakama_, the dragonslayer had the privilege of watching from afar as she tumbled to the ground in a heap, just next to Wu's feet—blood was pouring from her side. Even from as far away as he was, he could see that she was paler than usual, and she gasped in pain while she clutched her side. Then, her eyes closed. And they didn't reopen.

Natsu felt his world crumbling at the sight. "_Lucy!_"

The dragonslayer had never experienced tunnel vision before, but it didn't startle him one bit when all he saw was Wu, leering triumphantly and having the gall to nudge Lucy's limp body away with his dirty boot. In the next moment, everything was red.

Blood red.

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_**Phew. Bit longer than the previous chapters, ne? Natsu's angry...and that's never good. Next time, chapter fifteen: The Suspicion! Lucy's wounded! Is she alright? Or...will something else make its presence known?**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO** **REVIEWED**: __NatsuXLucy4ever2000, Beautiful Sensations, nessa, stephsfire, SORA-Koori-ryuu, Dyvee, Collaborative Lady, misssbehavin, GoldenRoseTanya, Disappear500, Ranting and Raving, KHLostEmpress, Mira-sans' helper, KawaiiOdango, TheLostHope, Lady Violet Fire, GuiltyCrown09, leoslady4ever  
_

_**I've been getting less reviews lately, and it makes me sad D: Neena likes to read reviews, so if you favorite, please do review and leave behind a few thoughts! Let me know what I can do to make this story better, don't be afraid of me, I don't bite... Well...most of the time ;)**  
_

_**That being said... RAVENS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL, BABY! BOOYAH! No shame. Love my Ravens. Things are about to get pretty interesting in my household considering that we're from the Frisco bay area and were, and still are, 49ers fans XD I'm happy no matter the outcome because I love both teams :D  
**_

_**nessa: **I have a link to ComputerFreak's profile on my profile page ;) thanks for voting, it means a lot to me!**  
**_

_**KawaiiOdango: **...the only thing I have to say is GO RAVENS! Woo! I wasn't born in the Baltimore area, but when I moved to MD, I just loved them right away!**  
**_


	15. The Suspicion

_**OMG SUPERBOWL. HARBOWL. So excited. My feelings. Agh. Football. This is literally my brain right now: football, chicken wings, football, nalu, meatballs, football, soda, nalu, chicken wings, football, chicken wings, football. FOOTBALL.   
**_

_**Ahem. Anyway...yeah. So, I'm gonna post this while they're trying to figure out this weird power outage thing...  
**_

_**Oh, another thing. ATTENTION: THE COMPETITION FOR BEST FT FANFIC OF 2012 HAS BEEN ABORTED. FF has deleted the project unfortunately, and ComputerFreak offers his/her honest apologies and thanks those who did in fact vote and participate. I, myself, am disappointed but also glad that I had the opportunity to participate :)  
**_

_**KUDOS TO** natsu **FOR BEING THE 300TH REVIEWER! OMFG GUYS. 300. WE'VE OFFICIALLY HIT THE 300 MARK. #swooning...**_

_**Now, back to the story...  
**_

_**Remember to review!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Suspicion**_

"_Lucy!"_

…

"_Natsu, stop…going…kill him!"_

"…_hurt Lucy!"_

…

"_Is…alive?"_

"_Unconscious…needs Wendy…"_

"_Two days…nonstop…"_

…

"_Lucy-san!"_

…

"_Looks…bad…too much…blood everywhere…"_

"_Will…okay?"_

"_Only…will tell."_

…

"_She's breathing…"_

"…_something strange…magic flow…blood consistency…hormone levels…as if…"_

"_Is she okay?"_

"…_stable, not much more…can do."_

"_When…wake up?"_

"…_don't know…"_

…

There was a montage of voices floating around in Lucy's head; all of them completely lucid, transparent and vague like the barest of whispers. Most of them were undiscerned, half-complete and choppy, and her sluggish brain struggled to keep up with the conversation. But, it couldn't, as she noticed that every now and then, those voices would fade into background noise and then into nothingness.

There would be nothing but silence and inky blackness.

Then, sometime later—she wasn't sure when, it could have been hours, minutes or even seconds—she would suddenly find herself listening to voices again. They would all be laced with tender concern and fear, and sometimes, Lucy swore she could pick out the barest hints of sobbing in the background of it all. Which puzzled her.

Had she…died?

Was that what was going on?

It explained the blackness; it explained how she never seemed to be fully…there. Fully conscious. Somehow, she had pictured death a little…differently, she supposed. For one, she hadn't thought that she would be able to still hear the voices of her dear _nakama_, her comrade in arms. And it pained her, because she could hear them—aching for any sort of response from her—and yet she couldn't reply.

She couldn't tell them, "I'm here! I can hear you!"

It made her chest ache hollowly.

"…_your fault! Bastard!"_

"_My fault? You…stupid pit…don't think…"_

"_You didn't…and because…Lucy got hurt!"_

"_Natsu-san…she…rest…quiet, please…"_

Right now, Lucy thought bitterly, she was listening to yet another oblivious exchange of words just a few feet from her. Though some words still eluded her for whatever reason, she could derive from the tones of the people that it wasn't exactly a pleasant conversation. They were arguing…probably about her.

There was silence again. Lucy didn't know if it was because there was actual silence, or if she was fading again, but it was deathly quiet. She, if her body had not have felt like lead weights and as though nearly everything below her neck was bruised, would have liked to open her eyes. If only to reassure the people in the room that she was here, that she could hear them.

She…couldn't be dead, she realized shortly afterwards. There was no way she could be dead. She couldn't have let herself die, and more than that, Natsu wouldn't have let her die.

A strange lump formed in her throat.

Natsu…

From the inky blackness that swirled around her mind came a sudden, but blurry and horribly warped image of none other than Natsu himself. He was standing rigidly, tanned muscles tense, fists clenched, back muscles taught with frustration and his face—that ruggedly handsome face that had plagued her dreams on more than one occasion—had morphed into something…tragic. Sad, depressed, remorseful. Lucy found that she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But he wasn't himself. And then, from what she could see, he was opening his mouth again, eyes beholding nothing but deep, emotional pain. But, nothing came from his lips. Nothing but silence.

Lucy was surrounded by the blackness again.

She wanted to hear his voice… More than anything, she wanted to hear him and him alone. But…why? This thought puzzled her. Why did she ache so badly to hear his voice? Why was she that desperate? She honestly couldn't say as to why, but, at that at the thought of not hearing that voice of his say her name…it made her insides clench and churn. For some reason, it put her on edge, made her very being bristle with unspoken tension.

And a sudden thought struck Lucy, quickly for her slow brain.

Was it because she loved him?

It seemed quite plausible, but, the realization left her feeling less satisfied and a little hollower. Because she knew that no matter how much she loved him, he would never love her back the same way. It hurt.

But she still wanted to hear his voice.

"_Lucy…"_

Ah, there were the voices again, she noticed dully. Her slow brain was turning with effort, trying to seek out the source of this voice.

"_Lucy…"_

A shiver ran down her otherwise numb spine. It sounded like…_his_ voice. Natsu's voice.

"_Lucy…"_

"I'm here!" she wanted to say. She wanted to say that and so much more…because this voice, compared to the others, it sounded tortured, pitiful and downright anguished. There was so much emotion in just that one word, in just her name, that it left her insides burning.

"_Lucy…wake up…"_

…

Without warning, her eyes flew open, a gasp tearing free from her mouth. Nothing but wheezing came from her throat for the longest time, her lungs working and reaching for air, and stars danced in her vision, twinkling, sparking and teasing her unfocused eyes. It was dark; almost pitch black, and a gentle night breeze wafted in from the cracked window next to her bed. The familiar curtains billowed ever so slightly, the moonlight casting shadows all around the room and illuminating the outlines of recognizable shapes. A dresser here, a mirror there, a desk just across the way.

She…was in her bedroom, she realized with puzzlement. How on Earthland had she gotten _here_, of all places? She had been far from home, in the Waas Forest—which was at least a six hour trip by train, two day trip by hike—chasing down a bandit.

Groggily, Lucy inhaled, aiming to stretch her knotted back. But, she could only breathe in so deeply before a stab of pain in her side made her wince and hiss in discomfort. Her bleary eyes flashed down to her side, which was covered with her fluffy, down comforter, and she hesitated before throwing it back. A white bandage caught her eyes, wrapping all around her midsection, preventing her from breathing too deeply and hiding, what Lucy feared to be, a nasty wound that would leave her gaping. She, holding back grunts of pain, tested the severity of the wound by twisting this way and that. And, boy, did it ever _burn_ like the devil.

What had _happened_ to her?

She remembered hiking throughout the woods for days, feeling irritated, tired, grumpy and ready to throw in the towel because her body refused to cooperate. She remembered stumbling across a campsite, discovering blood, disguising herself and happening across Wu. She remembered fighting him, losing Taurus, Natsu and Galahad falling into a trap, and Loke coming to her rescue. But…nothing after that. It was…blank in her mind. A void, really, that had yet to be filled.

Shivering, Lucy grasped for her blankets again and pulled them up to her chin.

Well, whatever had happened to her had resulted in an injury on her part, she knew. So it probably meant that she had been somewhat reckless and made poor decisions. Or, that she had simply been weak. The thought left a sour taste in her mouth. She hated feeling weak, feeling like an insignificant whelp that just tagged along with a grin and brought everyone down.

"…Lu-chan?"

At the sound of a soft, feminine voice, Lucy started and raised her head. Levy was standing in the doorway, a cool cloth in a fresh basin of water held carefully in her hands, and even though it was dark, Lucy swore she could see tears prickling in the corner of the bluenette's amber eyes.

"Lu-chan!" the solid script mage breathed, relief coating her tone. She, the basin shaking in her unsteadily hands, ran to her best friend's side, dashing across the rug-covered, Pergo flooring and not at all caring that the water sloshed over the sides of the water bin. Levy placed the bin on Lucy's nightstand hastily, her fingers still trembling. "Lu-chan," the petit girl repeated feelingly, her pretty amber eyes glistening.

"Levy-chan…" Lucy, for the first time since she had woken, found her voice. And it wasn't exactly pleasant sounding—it sounded more like she had spent a day or two grinding her voice box against the cement sidewalks just outside her apartment. The blonde winced, gulping.

"Oh, Lu-chan, you had us all so worried…" Levy whispered from trembling lips, reaching out with hesitant hands. "How do you feel?" she asked softly as her small fingers brushed away stray locks of shiny, un-washed, blonde hair from Lucy's forehead before tucking a strand or two of her own vibrant blue hair behind one ear nervously.

Lucy closed her eyes, willing for her voice to surface once more. "I feel…" she rasped. "I feel horrible, honestly," the celestial mage admitted bitterly.

Levy appeared to be…comforted by this. She chuckled lowly. "I guess you should feel like that," she mused, but not before adding, "After all, that was a pretty nasty wound. But you'll be fine now, Wendy worked on you for hours and hours. You sure gave her a run for her money, Lu-chan."

Lucy, her throat raw and grating, could only bring herself to nod before she licked her chapped lips. She shifted again, a sudden intake of breath being the only sign of her discomfort.

Levy's keen eyes picked up on this, flashing once from Lucy's midriff under the protection of her comforter, to her eyes, which held pain in their depths. "Does it hurt? I can get you more pain relievers," she offered kindly.

Lucy nodded again, relieved at the thought of medicine, but her brown eyes were clouded with confusion. She still had no clue as to _how_ she had ended up like this in the first place; in her bed, far, far away from the Waas Forest, with a gaping wound that burned like fire. And just as she was about to interrogate Levy about it, the solid script mage heaved a large sigh.

Her voice was soft when she said, almost guiltily, "You…you were stabbed, Lu-chan…"

The celestial mage, her body already numb to the world, felt strangely cold all of the sudden. Stabbed? She had been _stabbed?_ The blonde choked headily on the air as her eyes, which still gleamed with sleep, widened and filled with a combination of confusion and fear. "…How?" was all she managed to ask.

Levy, her bottom lip caught innocently between her teeth, looked down at the floor with forlorn eyes. "I'm…not too sure on the details myself, but, from what I've heard from Wendy— which is from what Natsu's told her—Wu caught you off-guard because of your lack of magical stamina and dislocated ankle, and managed to catch you pretty well in the side." The petit girl's golden eyes were shimmering with reminiscent, hollow, fear that pinned Lucy to her bed. Levy pushed her hair back and adjusted her decorative headband.

"What…happened after that?" Lucy found herself questioning, eager to know just how she had gotten back to Magnolia.

"Well…" And at this point, Levy was reaching into the draw of Lucy's nightstand to retrieve a bottle of pain medication. She unscrewed the lid as her eyes wandered around the room, appearing to choose her words very carefully. "From what I've heard, and seen, Natsu—and Galahad—single handedly apprehended Wu before carrying you back here."

"I was…carried?" Lucy's voice cracked.

"By Natsu, yes… He carried you all the way from the Waas Forest to Fairy Tail's doors…and according to Galahad, Natsu refused to stop and rest. He refused to sit and rest for fear of your health, so he ran with you all the way here and immediately sought out Wendy…" the bluenette summarized quickly enough as she shook two large, white pills into her hand before holding them out in an offering.

Wordlessly, absolutely stunned, Lucy accepted the pills dumbly, her brown eyes wide. Natsu had carried her all the way from the Waas Forest to Magnolia…without taking a break? That was…_insane_. Positively insane—even for him.

"I was in the beer hall when he returned with you," Levy continued quietly, her voice a mere whisper in the dark room. "He was carrying you with both arms, covered from head to toe in blood and dirt, and his face…" She paused, biting her lip again as a pained expression crossed her face. It stayed there as she slowly blinked her amber eyes, reliving the memory. "I'd never seen him look so…distraught and furious at the same time. He had this…this _aura,_ Lu-chan, and I swear…if I hadn't seen that pink hair of his, I would have mistaken him for a completely different person. I've never, ever, in all my years of knowing him, seen him like that—even when Lisanna had supposedly passed away."

By now, Lucy was stiff, her jaw locked tight as a muscle in her cheek dared to twitch in defiance. She…honestly didn't know what to say. She was shocked, really—so shocked in fact, that her previously churning stomach was twisting and knotting again in a less than pleasant way.

"He…" Lucy coughed roughly, weighing the pills in the palm of her right hand. "He's like that with everyone, Levy-chan," the blonde grated out with difficulty. "He gets so angry when one of us is hurt and his head gets filled with this unchangeable desire for revenge."

Levy felt her eyes narrow. "While that may be true, Lu-chan, his expression this time dwarfed all other instances. There was no competition… I don't know how to accurately describe it to you with words, in fact, I know that I can't. But, if you had seen him…you would understand what I mean." Glancing sidelong at her friend, Levy's eyes beheld the utter sincerity behind her words.

But Lucy only looked down at her hands, grimacing as her stomach tightened and a lump formed in the back of her throat.

Levy was about to push further, to convince her best friend that Natsu's behavior had certainly _not been normal, _when she took notice of the strange hue to Lucy's face. It was ashen-looking, an ill shade that left the solid script mage shifting on the balls of her feet uncomfortably.

"Lu-chan?" she murmured, reaching out with a single hand.

And suddenly, the blonde was springing out of the cushioned bed—her feet tangling in the sheets—and making a haphazard dash, as her ankle was still quite weak, for the bathroom; which now had a proper door. She had no time to shut the new door and give herself privacy, however, before the awful sound of retching drifted to Levy's ears. Horrible, rasping, coughing, gasping heaves that sent a chill down the bluenette's spine.

"Lu-chan!" she finally exclaimed after listening to the heaving sounds for a good few seconds.

Racing after her best friend, the tiny mage hovered in the doorway after flicking on the lights, drinking in the sight of Lucy bending over the porcelain toilet bowl, her hair dampened with sweat and gnarled in ugly knots that stuck to the skin of her face and neck, her hands white-knuckled and gripping the edges of the latrine, her folded knees quivering.

The image of a tremendously ill person.

The retching continued, coming out in between groans and moans of discomfort, and Levy found that it knifed her something terrible in the stomach. It pained her to see her best friend like this, so helpless, so sickly. So, the solid script mage inhaled deeply, ignoring the offending scent that now permeated the bathroom, and knelt by Lucy. She rubbed Lucy's back soothingly with one hand, using the other to gather the damp, blonde hair that shrouded her friend's pale face.

"It's okay…" the bluenette hummed, rubbing in circles just above Lucy's mid-back. "It's okay…" She continued to rub and hum, all the while knowing that her actions did actually little-to-nothing to help.

Eventually, after the horrid retching noises subsided into ugly-sounding, dry heaves, Levy's hands slowed in their circling and Lucy rested her hot face on the edge of the cold toilet bowl, panting. Although there was nothing left in her stomach to vomit, her inside muscles were intent on bringing out whatever had plagued her, and the dry heaving continued for what seemed like forever. Lucy's stomach twisted and churned all the while, eliciting groans from her.

She looked miserable. She felt miserable.

All Lucy wanted to do now was curl up into a ball on the ice-cold tile floor, with the lights turned preferably _off_, and sleep; which was strange, if she thought about it—she'd been asleep for quite a while. _Could this get any worse?_ She wondered this to herself sarcastically. But, of course, the last thing that the blonde wanted to do was jinx herself, so she kept her mouth shut tight and bore with the cramping, nauseating feeling in the back of her throat.

Ah, Lucy hummed not long after, the cold porcelain felt incredibly good against the flushed skin of her face. So incredibly good. _Too_ incredibly good. Why on Earthland was she so hot, anyway? This questioned puzzled the already groggy and disoriented girl to the point that she huffed.

"Lu-chan," Levy started slowly, "are you okay?"

The only answer that the solid script mage received was a lifted golden brow that all but said: _does it look as if I'm okay?_

To this, Levy chuckled and shook her head. "Yeah, okay, it was a stupid question… But, are you feeling better now? Are you finished?"

Lucy puckered her lips, almost experimentally, making a sour, less than pleased face. "Well…the inside of my mouth tastes like bile," she muttered as she ran her tongue over her front row of teeth. "But, I'm feeling, strangely, better already." The blonde's tone was full of surprise, complete astonishment. Her stomach was still rolling here and there, but, other than that, she had cooled down, she wasn't sweating anymore, and she was no longer dry heaving.

That had to count for something, right?

"Already?" Levy echoed, equally surprised. "But, Lu-chan, no one gets better that fast… Are you sure you're okay?" She pulled back from her friend, anxiety shining in her wheat-colored eyes, and stood up properly with a frown.

Lucy, an equally disgusted frown on her face, flushed the toilet and snapped the lid shut, shuddering. "Yeah," she replied as she reached for her toothbrush. "I'm fine…just need a good brushing job." And with that, the tap gushing fresh water and a mountain of toothpaste on the head of her toothbrush, Lucy began vigorously brushing.

Meanwhile, Levy stood in the background behind Lucy, watching her friend's movements in the long mirror. She couldn't help but wring her hands anxiously.

There was something…off about Lucy. Not to say that Lucy seemed particularly mad or sad about something, but that there was some part of her that was…different. Levy just didn't know what. And the mission just went to prove her speculations—Lucy's magic had been absolutely drained; and that never, _ever_ happened. Ever. Plus, Lucy had been a bit grouchier lately, and needing a few hours more sleep than usual. Not to mention this sudden vomiting episode. There was something totally off about all this, and the answer—or, what she feared to be the answer—left Levy's blood running cold. Wendy's examination hadn't helped either.

Lucy's supply of magic was low and fluxuating, her hormones were changing too, as the sky dragonslayer had said. _"It's strange," _Wendy had murmured with a puzzled look in her eyes._ "Usually, that's only the case with… But Lucy-san couldn't be…"_

Levy forced herself to stop thinking about it. But it only worked for so long and the questions came bubbling up from the back of her mind like a gushing river that had burst a dam.

Why? She wanted to ask herself. How?

Well, actually, she knew _how_… Levy's pale face darkened with a deep burgundy blush, her ears stinging from the sudden rush of blood to her face. But, she just hadn't thought it could be possible. The thought had never occurred to her…and more than likely, it hadn't occurred to Lucy either, which just frightened the bluenette all the more. After all, if Wendy and Levy's speculations were, by some odd chance, true, what would Lucy do? She wouldn't be able to hide from the guild, much less from the source of this whole mess.

It would change Lucy's life. Forever.

"Levy-chan?" Lucy's sweet voice interrupted.

Levy, who had been caught thinking intently to herself, started and lifted her gaze to meet the curious one of the celestial mage who had finished brushing and was now using mouth wash that smelled like mint. The bluenette faked a smile. "Sorry, just…thinking," she murmured after tearing her eyes away guiltily.

Lucy, however, seemed as though she wouldn't let the matter drop. "Thinking? Thinking about what?" She gargled quickly, swishing the green liquid in her mouth—and wincing at the sting—before spitting all of it out in the sink in a very un-lady-like fashion.

But Levy didn't answer right away, much to the puzzlement of her blonde friend, and kept looking down at her hands. They were wringing nervously, her knuckles white with tension.

"Levy-chan…" Lucy sighed.

"Alright, alright," Levy said suddenly as she closed her eyes. "I'm just worried about you, Lu-chan…"

At this, the blonde, celestial mage cocked a brow and turned around fully so that she was face to face with her best friend. "What could you possibly be worried about? I'm fine; I'm awake now, aren't I? And this is nothing but a scratch," she said simply as she motioned to her bandaged waist.

"Not…just about that." Levy's already anxious eyes turned apprehensive and guarding as she locked gazes with her very best friend. "Lu-chan, you were unconscious for two weeks…that's not normal. Don't even try and make excuses, because you know I'm right," she quickly added when Lucy opened her mouth to protest. "Your magic was suddenly sucked dry on the mission, and that, combined with the bouts of exhaustion you'd been feeling daily, all but destroyed you… Your body was exhausted both physically and magically."

Lucy shifted from the balls of her feet to the heels in a nervous manner.

"And," Levy continued with a raised finger, "Wendy even said that there was something strange going on, that you smelled a little different than usual, that your body's changing. And now you're sick again. You know as well as I do what this is all pointing to…" she trailed off ominously, waiting for the blonde's response.

And respond she did—Lucy's already doe-like eyes widened to an impossible amount, fear blazing in their depths. Her mouth came unhinged, dropping open with an inaudible _pop_ and her hands were suddenly squeezing themselves.

No… No, no, _no_. Levy—sweet, innocent, Lucy's best friend, _Levy_—was surely not implying that Lucy could be…?

"No!" the celestial mage protested quickly. Her expression was filled with panic, eyes still wide, and she held up her hands as if they would provide a blockade from the knowing look that Levy was sending her way. "I mean," she coughed, "there's absolutely no way. It's just not possible."

"Lu-chan…" Levy began with a look of utter sympathy.

"No, Levy-chan, we couldn't have been _that_ stupid; I even got my period. There's no way I could be…" the blonde paused, her lips twisting as if her next word were a nasty curse, "…_pregnant_."

At Lucy's confident insistence, Levy paused, a curious look crossing her pretty features. If that was true, and Lucy had indeed received Mother Nature's _wonderful_ gift, then it left a giant, gaping hole in Levy's speculation—the puzzle pieces suddenly didn't fit anymore.

"Then…" Levy murmured contemplatively. "Why…?"

Lucy sighed. "I don't know…maybe I got the flu? I mean, I was just traveling in a forest filled with insects and disease-ridden animals…"

"But that was two weeks ago," Levy stated blandly, her eyes clearly disbelieving. "It should have already cleared your system."

"Okay, yeah, point valid. But, still, there's no way I can be pregnant. No way."

Of course, even though she said this aloud, her eyes burning with confidence and absolute certainty, there was a small part in her heart—deep, deep down—that was truly worried.

It seemed that Levy felt the same—wanting to believe, but being held back by something in her heart. "Alright…" she said. "But, just in case, I think we should keep an eye out for anything else that could be suspicious."

And little did the two women know that this would just be the start of it all.

* * *

**_Dundundunnn... WHAT?! Hmm...are Levy and Wendy correct? Could Lucy really be...? The only way to find out is to read the future chapters! Next time, chapter 16: The Confession._**

**_KUDOS TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED:_**___Dyvee, Cat Goliath, chinky, Beautiful Sensations, Astyrii, nessa, AngelsFairyTail, Disappear500, Reality Tales, duskbird, NonieBee, KHLostEmpress, LenenaxX, misssbehavin, S4JM, dog's paw burning in hot ash, Guest, TooLazyToLogIn, hanayuki17, SORA-Koori-ryuu, magicianvalkyria26, Lillyviolet, Lady Violet Fire, Ryujin65, GuiltyCrown09, leoslady4ever, QueenP19, natsu, misstirius, LoveIsARose, Kuronekohimesama, Mira-sans' helper, OhtaSuzuke, Mix The Shadow Thief, finnythewise, LuckyLifeSmile, Eternal Anime Fan_

_YOU GUYS ARE SERIUOSLY AMAZING. So many reviews for the previous chapter that I nearly cried. Really. Keep it up! It makes my world wonderful! Please do review. Because, when you do, I do crazy shit like update during THE SUPERBOWL.  
_

_GO RAVENS.  
_

_Thanks to everyone who voted for Adherence, I love every single one of you dearly and you all are so beautiful and amazing. I'm satisfied with just knowing that some of you think it deserved such an awesome title :)  
_

_**GO RAVENS.**  
_

_**...oh. And review. That's nice too :)  
**_


	16. The Confession

_**You guys, I'm on cloud nine. Seriously. This just keeps getting better and better! Ravens are the Superbowl champs, baby! Close game though, had me worried all throughout the second half. And I'm looking forward to a rematch next year ;) Now, onto the story, what ya'll are actually here for...**_

_**Shout out**__** to **__TVfreak7 __**for**__** being the 350th reviewer! I've been getting so many reviews, it's crazy guys! Keep it up! I always enjoy reading every single one!**_

_**Also, DISCLAIMER: **The text below that Lucy reads in the library is not my own words, I borrowed most of it from various websites, although some of it is my input as well. That is all.  
_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Confession**_

* * *

"Lucy!" a familiar shout jolted the blonde in question as she was brushing her teeth.

That morning, her stomach had turned on her in the most vulgar of ways and she'd found herself retching up most of what she'd had for breakfast. She, of course, had brushed her teeth afterwards. But what was the point, she wondered, if she was going to repeat the process in just a few hours? It was a never ending cycle and it had been happening non-stop for the past week. A whole _week_. A whole week of nothing but vomiting, fevers and hot flashes. To be honest, Lucy was sick of it all—no pun intended. She just wanted it all to end, for her life to go back to normal, and for there to be a day where she didn't have to stick her face into a toilet bowl.

But, at least the wound on her side had healed nicely. A whole week of periodic healing sessions with Wendy had done its wonders on the gash, and now, there was barely more than a pink line travelling across her waist. Not that she was particularly fond of the idea of having a scar, because she wasn't, but it was much, _much_ better than it could have been.

"Lucy!" came that voice again, louder and closer than the previous time.

Sighing, Lucy set down her toothbrush—effectively rinsing her mouth in the process—and went to open her bathroom door.

Only, it was yanked open before she had the chance.

Startled, the celestial mage jumped back with a small shriek, and fixed the perpetrator with a raw glare that would have left many cowering. Dragonslayers, however, appeared to be immune to such looks, as the rose-haired idiot who had almost tore her door off of its hinges—Lucy would _not_ be dealing with that again anytime soon, or ever if she could help it—started rambling at her with such speed that she could barely understand him.

"Lucy! Are you okay? Ne, are you? You haven't been at the guild for days! I wanted to see you when you first woke up, but Wendy, Erza and Levy wouldn't let me… They said you needed rest. So I waited, for, like, ever, and then Levy told me that you were sick so I knew that I had to come! They're downstairs right now waiting for you, but I wanted to come get you myself. And…Luce, are you okay? You're not looking so hot… Does your side hurt? Do you need medicine? I can go get it for you."

"Natsu," Lucy interjected, pressing a hand to her suddenly hot-feeling forehead.

"Or maybe you have a fever? Levy said that you might, I can go get you medicine for that, too, you know. And, Lucy, what's that smell? It's stinks! It smells just like that one time when Happy left a fish to rot underneath my bed!"

"Natsu…"

"Oh! Is it because you threw up? Well, uh, I think there's medicine for that…somewhere. Wendy should have some, or maybe she has a spell? I should probably go find her, ne, Lucy?"

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted for the third time.

This time, the fire mage stalled, blinking as if he'd just heard her for the first time. His eyes were big, curious, and worried all at the same time—and the rest of his face… Lucy just about melted at the sight of him. He looked like an anxious child, worried to death over the wellbeing of a parent. Silently, the dragonslayer in her doorway took a step back, lowered his gaze, and stayed like that, waiting for her.

Lucy sighed again. "Natsu, I'm glad that you came to visit…"

He perked at this, his head flinging up with a toothy grin plastered across his mouth.

"But, I'm not feeling too well… I feel like crap right now…"

And promptly, he hung his head again much like a scolded child would.

"Not," Lucy quickly added on, "not that I don't want to see you or anything… It was sweet of you to come."

Natsu began grinning again, that look of idiotic—but somehow contagious—happiness radiating off of him in what felt like palpable waves. He seemed so happy just to be in the room with her, just to hear her voice, just to know that she was okay. This pleased Lucy, somewhere deep in her heart; and she began smiling back—just a crack.

Natsu's grin grew.

Ah, he couldn't care less, he supposed, if she was angry with him for barging into the master bathroom without knocking. So long as she was alive and breathing and assuring him with each beat of her heart that yes, she was still here, and that no, she wasn't going to leave him any time soon. He was still getting accustomed to the reality that she could actually move now, that she wasn't catatonic like she'd been just a week earlier. During which, Natsu hadn't known he could be so scared.

The fear he'd felt when intimidated by Gildarts, the fear he'd felt on Tenroujima, the fear he'd felt after losing Igneel…none of it had even come remotely close to comparing with the fear of losing Lucy. And Natsu wasn't sure why. All he knew was that when he had seen her—lying on the dirt ground, blood pouring from her side, face pinched in pain and drawing in ragged gasps—he'd felt his body go numb, his blood run colder than ice and the anger blindside him. Oh, the anger…

He'd felt anger that he hadn't even known he was capable of possessing. Anger so strong, it morphed into white-hot, blind rage that would have put Erza's infamous wrath to shame. Looking back on it now, he still wasn't sure about what, exactly, had transpired during his moment of aggression—one second he'd been staring numbly at Lucy's body, the next he was being physically held back by both Galahad and Loke and gazing at a battered male body laying at his feet.

He remembered them saying, _"Stop, Natsu! You're going to kill him!"_. He also remembered not caring.

This probably should have worried him, Natsu supposed. But, then again, things just tended to happen when he was angry; there really was no getting around that fact.

Wu had been apprehended, and that was all he cared about. The bandit was now rotting in prison, again, and the dragonslayer felt more than satisfied to have left a bruise or two on the convict. It seemed feasible, a reasonable trade for daring to aim his weapon at Lucy. But also at the same time, it didn't seem like a fair punishment, considering that he'd incapacitated Lucy for two whole weeks.

Wu had been placed under the care of the healers and had been fine in a matter of hours.

"Natsu?"

He blinked. Throwing his head up, the dragonslayer was met with the sight of his teammate—her brown eyes liquid-y and warm in a way that usually meant that she was close to being emotional. Natsu gulped—an emotional Lucy wasn't always a nice Lucy. She opened her mouth, preparing to speak, but then quickly decided against it and chose to gnaw on her bottom lip. The sight of which, Natsu found himself intrigued with.

It was fascinating, he decided, the way her teeth could grind against her skin in a way that wasn't…strange looking. In fact, if someone were to ask him, he supposed he would have said that she looked kind of cute when she did it.

But the cute-deemed action proved to be short-lived as the blonde quickly gathered her rampant thoughts and fixed her eyes on his once more. "Natsu, I…" she said slowly, a contemplative look forming on her face. "I don't remember, exactly, what happened back in Waas Forest, but I've heard plenty. I, for some reason, ran out of magic and had to rely on you to save me…again. I'm sorry, Natsu," Lucy apologized softly, her cheeks pink with what he assumed was shame. "I should have been better prepared. I shouldn't have let Wu take advantage of me like that, and I shouldn't have let my ego get the better of me… I was stupid to think that I could take him on by myself. If not for you—and Loke and Galahad—I don't know what would have happened to me…so, I just…" Lucy sighed. "Thank you, Natsu."

The dragonslayer snorted back at her. "You don't need to thank me," he said with incredulity in his voice. "I'm supposed to look out for you, you know." He was grinning happily, without a care in the world, when he next said, "You're my _nakama_."

"Yeah," Lucy mumbled back softly, "_nakama_." Her face was falling into a softer expression, one of deep thought and solemnness, eyelids drooping.

It was amazing how he could just say it aloud without a doubt, like it was so incredibly simple. At times like these, though, Lucy supposed that it was best he was so simple minded—after all, only he would have been able to say that they were _nakama_ as an explanation for his rather dashing actions.

Natsu, seeing this change in her, felt a frown marring his face. "Oi, something wrong?" he asked curiously when Lucy didn't smile again.

"No." Lucy shook her head. "I'm just thinking, that's all…"

Natsu felt his shoulders slumping, a pout on his face. It seemed that Lucy was done speaking with him—whenever she had that far-off look it usually meant that she wished to keep to herself for a little while. And normally, Natsu wouldn't have minded. But, he hadn't been able to see her for two weeks; those two weeks had been torturous—and, if he hadn't known any better, he would have sworn that he'd been going through withdraw. Lucy withdraw.

It'd been rather strange of him to miss someone to such an extent. Sure, when his _nakama_ left for missions he missed them, and when they were in trouble, he was the first to come to their aid, but…with Lucy, it had been different. Somehow. He really just couldn't place his finger on it. All he could say, if someone asked him, was that it'd been…different.

o0o

Lucy slumped into the cushioning, frilly, pink pillows of her bed with an annoyed huff. This was absolutely, positively _ridiculous_, she thought with disdain. How could they tell her…no, _order_ her, to stay in bed when she'd been doing nothing but that for the past week? All this past week, her days had consisted of eating, lying in bed, sleeping, lying in bed, reading magazines, lying in bed, bathing, lying in bed, and of course, _lying in bed_. She was going to go absolutely crazy. Really, she was.

For the first time in her life, Lucy actually relished the idea of going for a jog—of all things, a _jog_. She _hated_ jogging. Or, at least, she thought she had before she'd been placed under bed arrest.

"_It's for your own good," _Erza had said.

"_You lost a lot of blood, it will take some time for it to all build back up again," _had been Wendy's explanation.

Huffing again, Lucy snatched a glossy magazine from the large stack piled upon her nightstand just underneath her lamp. She flipped it open, fingers dragging lazily down the table of contents as her milk-chocolate eyes skimmed across each article's title.

"_Sorry, Lu-chan…we just don't want to take any chances…"_

The blonde felt a sharp pang in her chest after recalling Levy's words to her just a few hours before. There was no doubt in Lucy's mind that there had been a double meaning behind what the bluenette had said—and though Erza hadn't said anything concerning this, Lucy just knew that the requip mage sensed something was awry as well.

But, Lucy thought with a hum, they were all worrying for nothing. She was absolutely fine; perhaps not her healthiest, sure, but that would be fixed as soon as this bug—wherever it had come from—managed to vacate her system. Because that was all it was, just a bug—nothing more, nothing less.

With a sigh of boredom, Lucy set the magazine in her ever-growing pile of her 'already read' magazines on her nightstand just next to the relatively small pile of newer ones. This was what she had been doing ever since Natsu, Erza, Wendy and Levy had left: reading. Now, Lucy loved to read. In fact, her love of books sometimes rivaled Levy's—which was saying something. But, since she had been doing nothing but ready trashy magazines filled with gossip and slander for a whole week, it was grating against her very being to just so much as pick up the next one.

But she did it anyway since she had nothing better to do.

She'd already cleaned her apartment again from head to toe, complete with vacuuming, dusting _and_ polishing, already re-organized her bookshelf, already done all of her laundry, already worked on her novel—which was nearing completion, surprisingly—and she'd even managed to get Levy to run out and pick up the groceries. There was, quite literally, nothing else for Lucy to do.

"Mou," the blonde whined with a crease in her brow as she shook open her usual favorite, _Wizard's Weekly_. "I'm going to go stir crazy…"

Again, she began to scan the table of contents, looking for anything that could be even remotely interesting. She grazed over the Perfect Boyfriend list with a snort, and she honestly couldn't have cared less if another member of Blue Pegasus came out as gay. And she really didn't want to know about the 'scandalous' affair of a guild mage and their Master; that kind of stuff was hardly interesting though she, on any other occasion, would have lapped up the gossip eagerly.

And just as she was about to groan in frustration and toss the magazine at her wall, the very last article at the bottom of the table of contents snagged her eyes. She blinked for a few seconds, bringing the shiny pages closer as if to inspect the fine print below her nose.

_I Was Pregnant and Didn't Even Know It!_

Instantly, the celestial mage felt herself stiffening, her hands gripping the sides of the pages until her knuckles were white. How ironic, she thought bitterly, that there would be an article of this nature. And, another part of her wondered if Levy had actually snuck this magazine into the pile on purpose, just to get her blonde friend to consider the…remote possibility.

Lucy bit her bottom lip.

"Ha!" she suddenly scoffed aloud, almost startling herself. "Didn't even know it? How could she _not_ know? Really, that's just ridiculous…" But, despite her clear admonishment and haughty words, Lucy could not help but feel the urge to investigate. For…curiosity's sake, of course. Lucy's eyes, which had sparked with fire, dulled as she murmured quietly, "Really…ridiculous…"

She flipped to the back of the magazine despite her better judgment.

_The first strange thing that I noticed_, it began in an overly large font with swirls and loops, _was that I was very tired all the time and for no reason at all. I assumed it was because I had been working longer shifts at work that week, but when it continued, I had no explanation for it. _

Here, Lucy scoffed again. Loss of sleep? Hadn't this lady ever heard of insomnia? Shaking her head, the blonde continued reading.

_I began to get used to it, and I started sleeping in bit by bit, but, within the next few weeks, something else happened that I wasn't sure how to label: I was constantly going to the bathroom. Every minute, it seemed, I was running for the toilet—even when I was out in public with my friends. After a few weeks, they began thinking that it was a bit strange, and honestly, so did I. My husband began teasing me, too, saying I was only drinking too much, but even when I drank less, I still continued to urinate at least—or what felt like—thirteen times a day. _

Lucy paused, her teeth nibbling her bottom lip again. Well, that almost sounded like something similar to what she'd been experiencing… But just because she made frequent trips to the restroom didn't necessarily mean that it was abnormal—in fact, according to doctors, if one was healthy they were supposed to go to the bathroom at least once every hour or so.

_As if that weren't enough, I started becoming nauseous constantly, and not just in the mornings, either. It was strange, really, because this started happening right as my other symptoms began to get better and I'd thought that I'd been out of the woods. But, no. Every day for two weeks I was worshipping the toilet bowl in my master bathroom. And sometimes, much to my husband's chagrin, I didn't even make it there in time._

Now, Lucy felt something cold drip down the nape of her neck. Sweat, she realized it was. And she only sweated when she was either exerting herself in the heat, or when she was incredibly nervous. And considering what she was doing, the former option wasn't exactly viable. She was nervous, she knew. This article—which she supposed she had been reading in order to wipe all doubt from her mind—was actually…starting to convince her otherwise.

_By this time, I was honestly wondering if I was pregnant. My friends had told me that these were definite signs, but since my husband and I had both used protection—oral medication and magic wards—I waved it off and continued on in my life. I made up excuses for the cravings I began to have, and passed off my morning sickness as a simple virus. I didn't gain that much weight and I still got my period, though a bit more irregular and lighter than usual. How was I supposed to know that in a few months I would receive the world's most precious baby girl?_

Slowly, Lucy's eyes dragged from the text to the picture that rested just below it—a pretty little thing, a tiny baby, wrapped in pink blankets with her eyes glued shut, mouth wide open in a yawn and a pretty pink headband adorning her brown, peach-fuzz head.

The blonde threw the magazine across the room.

"…No," she told herself shakily, her hands twitching. "No," she said more firmly. "I…I had my period. She's definitely lying." Lucy sent a scathing glare towards the crumpled magazine lying on her floor just by the doorframe, its pages scattered open and crinkled. "If a girl's pregnant then they definitely _don't_ get their period." Lucy, stubbornly, set her jaw, her teeth grinding together. "And what morning sickness? I've just been really unlucky…yeah. First that cold and now a stomach virus—I just need to get my vaccinations updated." She nodded to herself, accepting this readily as an answer.

But, somehow, even though she had been convincing herself of this…Lucy still found herself scrambling out of bed, throwing on appropriate clothes and sneaking to her front door. Why? She honestly couldn't say. She was feeling so very confused, unsure and vulnerable. All she wanted was answers—solid, tactical, pragmatic answers. And where else would she find those types of answers but in a library?

Bed rest be damned, she thought haughtily, her nose upturned artistically. If she wanted answers, and the heavens knew that she did, she would damn well _get_ those answers by any means necessary.

"Sorry, Levy-chan, Erza, Wendy," Lucy murmured quietly, slipping outside of her apartment and shutting her door. With a sweeping, hesitant glance of the surrounding area—just to make sure that there was no one from the guild watching her—the blonde zipped down the steps, around the cobblestone corner and was well on her way to the Magnolia Public Library.

It was well past evening, dusk casting across the sky and creating shadows along walls of the buildings that lined the main roads. People, though Magnolia was usually bustling, were scarce, and Lucy had a clear shot to the large, brick and cobblestone layered building that resided just across the large fountain in the middle of Main Street. She didn't bother to look around, take her time and enjoy the sights of the vast number of books like she usually would have—instead, the blonde made a hasty beeline to the maternity section with clenched hands and a flipping stomach.

"Good evening, Lucy-san," the desk clerk greeted solemnly from her perch, glasses slipping down her pinched face.

"Oh," Lucy stuttered, eyes flickering to the older woman's frame where she sat, almost unnoticed by other patrons. "Good evening…"

Before Sandra, the clerk—who had a knack for being very nosy—could interrogate Lucy upon her whereabouts, as the blonde had never, ever ventured to the family section of the building, she scuttled away with a red face. This was mortifying, Lucy thought abashedly. She was constantly checking over her shoulders as she scanned the shelves, dodging glances that weren't even being cast her way and even folding the books under her arms so that no one could see their titles.

It was a bit ridiculous, but, honestly, she was just mortified of the thought of someone finding her—someone that she _knew_—and discovering her…_doubts_.

Still flushing—either from the adrenaline coursing through her constricting veins, or embarrassment—the celestial mage seated herself at a wooden table by her lonesome and hesitantly placed down her books before lifting the cover page of the first one.

_13 Signs You May be Pregnant_

Lucy swallowed roughly.

_Sign one: sore breasts. This is a very common complaint as breast tissue is extremely hormone-sensitive. When progesterone and hCG start flooding the body after the egg is fertilized, they increase a woman's blood volume, which makes breasts swell and feel heavier than usual._

Well, so far, she hadn't come across that one. So that was good.

_Sign two: cramps. You may feel crampy like you have or are about to get your period, but this discomfort is actually triggered by implantation—when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. Your uterus may be stretching a little now (hence the cramps) to prep for its massive expansion over the next nine months._

Lucy swallowed again. Sure, she'd been crampy, but that was because she'd had her period—which was normal.

_Sign three: spotting. Many women mistake some light bleeding for a period, but as many as 25 percent will have some spotting during implantation. If you notice that your "period" seems way shorter or different from usual, it may be time to see your Magnolia Central Hospital doctor about a pregnancy test._

Here, Lucy felt her throat constrict and cut her breathing short. Her period _had_ been unusually short—lasting at only a few hours… But that didn't mean anything.

_Sign four: fatigue. There's tired, and then there's this: If all you can think about at work is taking a nap or if you're too exhausted to keep up with everyday activities like hitting the gym, then it may be your body adjusting to its new mini inhabitant. Even at an early stage of pregnancy—within two weeks of conception—your baby is starting to use up your calories, which can wipe out your energy stores pretty quickly. And not only calories, but babies also tend to absorb a gross amount of magic from their mother; so a sudden decrease in magical stamina is usually a sign as well._

The blonde started, and with shaky fingers, turned the page.

_Sign five: nipple darkening. Are the boobs looking a little different these days? Pregnancy hormones also affect the activity of melanocytes, or cells in the nipples responsible for their color. Darker-complexioned women may not notice this until later in pregnancy—usually, around 10 weeks or so._

_Sign six: nausea. While full-blown morning sickness –which affects up to 85 percent of all pregnant women—likely won't strike for a few more weeks, some women may experience more subtle motion sickness early on. Examples include: suddenly getting queasy from reading in the car or feeling sick during flight._

_Sign seven: bloating. Can't zip up those jeans?_ _Ramped-up levels of progesterone slow down your digestive track and may make your tummy feel puffier than usual. This also happens during PMS, but bloating stops when your period arrives, causing progesterone levels to plummet. If the bloating doesn't go away—and your period never comes—head to the doctors._

_Sign eight: peeing more often._ _Getting up for more bathroom breaks may be the result of your kidneys starting to kick into overdrive; they have to flush out fluid more efficiently during pregnancy. Watch out for this one at the end of pregnancy too—but then it's more due to your gigundo uterus pressing on your bladder._

_Sign nine: cravings. At this point—_

Lucy slammed the book shut, her breaths shaky and her blood feeling cold. "No…" she whispered, snatching another book.

_So You Think You're Pregnant_

_Thinking that you might have a bun in the oven? Well, if you want to be sure before taking a test, here are some questions you should ask yourself:_

_Is your period very late or very light?_

_Are your breasts swollen, tender or painful to the touch?_

_Are you more tired than usual for no apparent reason?_

_Do you have less magical endurance than usual?_

_Do you feel sick?_

_Are you getting up more often to urinate?_

_Does your—_

And, yet again, she slammed the book shut with force that would have startled passerbies, had there been any. No, she was not going to accept this. Everything that she had been experiencing for the past month and a half was just coincidence. Pure, unadulterated _coincidence_.

She felt tears prickling in her eyes as she reached for the third book.

_Pregnancy Symptoms: The Early Signs_

_If you're reading this, you just might be suspecting that you'll soon be a parent. Congratulations! But, first, it would be better to confirm this, wouldn't it? Here are some things that you should watch out for, as they may be the earliest signs—even before your missed period._

_Spotting and Cramping. A few days after conception, the fertilized egg attaches itself to wall of the uterus. This can cause one of the earliest signs of pregnancy –spotting and, sometimes, cramping. That's called implantation bleeding._

_Breast changes. Breast changes are another very early sign of pregnancy. A woman's hormone levels rapidly change after conception. Because of the changes, her breasts may become swollen, sore, or tingly. Or they may feel heavier or fuller or feel tender to the touch. The area around the nipples, called the areola, may also darken._

_Fatigue. Feeling very tired is normal in pregnancy, starting early on. A woman can start feeling unusually fatigued as soon as one week after conceiving. Also, if she is a mage, a woman might notice a drastic drop in magical power. This is normal._

_Nausea. Morning sickness is a famous symptom of pregnancy. But not every pregnant woman gets it. Here's why it happens. A pregnant woman's hormone levels can slow the emptying of her stomach. That contributes to nausea, often called morning sickness, though it can happen at any time during the day._

_Other signs may include: frequent urination, mood swings, headaches, back pain and more…_

Instead of slamming the book, like she had done with the other two, Lucy found herself scrambling out of the chair and making a mad-dash for the exit. She didn't know what to say, what to think, what to feel… She was terrified, though; she knew that much. Terrified, with tears blinding her vision and her stomach flipping and twisting again.

"Oh, Mavis," she gasped. "_Oh, Mavis…_"

Her pace didn't slow, even as she zipped past Sandra, who simply said, "Please, Lucy-san, do _not_ run in the halls."

Lucy didn't pause to give a reply, and she certainly didn't comply with the nosy book-keeper's wishes. The blonde wanted to run…to run far, far away. She wanted to hide from the world, hide from the inevitable. She wanted to hide.

But, somehow…instead of hiding, she found herself on Levy's porch. Panting, gasping, sobbing, and knocking without a care as to who saw her.

What was she going to do? _What the hell was she going to do?_

"Coming, coming!" came the reply from behind the door. Lucy sniffled, rubbing her eyes and forgetting that she was wearing mascara—it'd probably smeared, she realized shortly thereafter. And that was how Levy opened the door to see her best friend; standing on the porch, her skin so white it was almost translucent, with shaking knees and black-stained tear tracks that ran down her cheeks. "Lu-chan!" the bluenette exclaimed, horrified. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Levy-chan…I…" Lucy hiccupped, rubbing her cheeks again. "I…"

When the blonde continued to stutter and blubber incoherent nonsense, Levy bit down on her lip before tugging her friend inside. "It's okay," she soothed, shutting the door behind Lucy. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad… It's okay…"

"Oi!" came the gruff snarl from Levy's living room. "Whoever the hell that is, send 'em packing. I'm hungry, Shorty."

Gajeel was here, Lucy thought haphazardly through her own sobbing.

"Gajeel!" Levy huffed back, an annoyed pout on her plump lips. "That's rude."

Another snarl sounded from the living room before Lucy, her shoulders still trembling and her eyes still leaking bit, fat, tears, heard the tell-tale sound of stomping. Gajeel's heavy, iron-studded boots knocked against Levy's Pergo flooring unkindly, and when he rounded the corner, slouched, burly arms folded menacingly across his too-broad chest, he looked just as unkind as the sounds suggested. Bleeding eyes raked over Lucy's quivering form, and the dissatisfied scowl upon his lips thinned out.

"What's goin' on?" was all he demanded.

If Bunny-girl was here, it automatically meant that Levy would be giving all the attention to her friend—and judging from the blonde's helter-skelter appearance, she would need all of that attention and then some. For some reason, he had the feeling that all of the ice cream stored in the midget's freezer would be mysteriously missing come morning and that Levy, during some point in the next few days, would have to make a separate shopping trip to replenish her stash of boxed tissues.

Levy turned to Gajeel, her amber eyes big and worried. She bit her lip again. "I…don't know…" she said simply, reaching out to Lucy with a single hand. "Lu-chan?" the solid script mage tested warily. "Ne, Lu-chan, you want to sit down? I'll make you some tea…"

But, at the thought of tea, Lucy's stomach began rolling in an unpleasant way. She sniffled again, shaking her head rapidly before scrubbing at her eyes. By now, most of her mascara had probably formed inky rivers down her flushed-from-crying cheeks. "No…" she murmured softly.

"Then, can you tell me what's wrong?" Levy asked. "If you want, Gajeel can leave the room," she suggested with a glance towards her dragonslayer partner.

He only quirked a metal-lined brow in response. Him? Leave? As if. To show this, he widened the space between his legs and planted his large feet firmly on the floor, his chin lifting higher into the air as if to challenge the tiny mage who was pinning him with a stare. He snorted.

Levy scowled before sighing, rolling her eyes. "Or, maybe not… But, are you sure that – "

"Levy-chan…"

"Hm?"

Lucy, her eyes shimmering with tears, gulped loudly and looked down at her hands, which were covered in mascara, eye-liner and foundation that had come clean from her face. "I…" She inhaled deeply, scrunching her nose as the tears poured relentlessly. "I…" she blubbered. "I think…"

Levy reached out and clasped Lucy's hand, saying, "What is it, Lu-chan?"

"…I…I think I'm_ pregnant_…"

* * *

**_Aha! Finally! Out comes the confession... Though, I suspect that most of you have been thinking this would happen for a while ;) It's finally happened. But, what's Lucy going to do?! Find out next time! Chapter 17: The Test_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED: _**_Beautiful Sensations, omgnalu15, finnythewise, Dyvee, ShinyMagikarp, misssbehavin, pandasxpocky, Onyxtraza,, Vector'n'Rotator, nahadiba, ashlieswifty, Collaborative Lady, TVfeak7, LuckyLifeSmile, dog's paw burning in hot ash, KHLostEmpress, KinKitsune01, AngelsFairyTail, .BEASTXx, GuiltyCrown09, leoslady4ever, AkaneGyn10186, Reika Natsuki, European Mutt, nessa, QueenP19, beibieRen, Mira-sans' helper, TheLostHope, misstirius, dragoscilvio, Minx The Shadow Thief, Kagome Juh, Cat Goliath  
_

_**Vector'n'Rotator**: Thanks for the constructive criticism! As always, I'm looking for ways to improve, so your input was very helpful :) Again, thanks a bunch, and I'll be sure to watch out for things like that in the future! Let me know how I do on my realism in the future, mmkay?_

_**Neena loves you all very much and cannot express how much it means to her that you all reviewed. She only talks in third person when she's really happy. :3  
**_


	17. The Test

_**OMFGEE YOU GUYS. OVER 400 REVIEWS. Jasdfjhdfiaurhiazudhfbldhgbs lreiugnlfd. Too many feelings... Words cannot express how much I love y'all. Really. **_

_**SHOUT OUT TO **__akira **FOR BEING THE 400TH REVIEWER! **_

_**Also, I've started up a FFVII CloTi one-shot series. If you're a fan of FFVII and/or CloTi, go ahead and have a looksee (a leave a reviewsee too! :3). Merci beaucoup! Dankeshoen! Arigatou! Gracias! Xièxiè! Gamsahabnida! And...er...I've run out of languages it seems... Oh. Wait. Thank you! There. Almost forgot English, my native tongue... hawkwaaaard o.O  
**_

_**P.s. Sorry that most of this chapter is a flashback...but, on the other hand, there's some GaLe! :D**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Test**_

* * *

It was a normal morning in Fairy Tail, or, as normal as it could ever be—there was raucous laughter, brawling, drinking and the guild members were acting just as rowdy as they had during the previous day. Cana was drinking a barrel's worth of ale, Macao was fantasizing, Gray was stripping, Juvia was stalking, Laxus was brooding, Erza was threatening—and amongst all of this, the only two people who were even remotely quiet were Gajeel and Levy as they were sitting alone at a table in the far corner. And truth be told, Gajeel was hardly quiet—he was, in fact, munching rather loudly on his daily dose of scrap metal, chewing noisily, tearing the metal into shreds and then swallowing with an audible and pleased gulp. There were rumbles of satisfaction here and there, too.

Normally, this would have irked the tiny mage by his side, as she was usually trying to concentrate on a book that appeared much too large for her miniature stature. But, today, she had no book, and she found that she couldn't complain about Gajeel's obnoxious eating habits. It was all background noise to her as she stared, blankly, at her folded hands—they clenched, un-clenched, and then clenched again in a never-ending cycle.

Unbeknownst to her, Gajeel was watching her every movement like a hawk—albeit, discreetly and out of the corner of his eyes, so, if he had to say so, he would have said it was more like a ninja. Yeah. He swallowed roughly, liking the feel of metal scratching the back of his throat, and snorted. Shorty was worried, he knew; he didn't have to be a ninja to figure that out. And when she was worried, she tended to think and think and think until her tiny brain nearly imploded from the inward pressure.

He could tell that she was almost at the breaking point by the way she kept squeezing her hands. So, before that tiny brain of hers snapped, he grunted, elbowed her and muttered a gruff, "Oi."

The only sign of recognition that the bluenette gave was the scrunching up of her nose in irritation, a matching pout—a look that nearly all the men in the guild melted at the sight of—and a soft sigh.

"Oi," Gajeel repeated, rather irked. He prodded her again.

This time, Levy rounded on him with a glare that rivaled his own as she crossed her arms in a defiant manner. "Gajeel…" Her tone clearly inferred that he refrain from poking her in such a rude manner again.

He only shifted in his seat, mostly so that he could properly kick his heavy legs up onto the table, and grunted again—clearly, he wasn't sorry. Not that Levy had expected him to be sorry in the least. She sighed again, eyes rolling up to the wooden ceiling, watching as dust curled through tufts of light in the wood's cracks. It was a little grounding in itself, she though languidly, blinking and inhaling deeply. And, what she needed the most right now, was mindless, numbing peace; a sense of solidity.

Before she could achieve this, though, she was interrupted—yet again by Gajeel—as his gruff voice grunted something along the lines of, "What's eatin you?"

Levy blinked herself back into the conversation and let her jaw slacken before rounding on him much too quickly for someone so small. "Gajeel… _What's eating me?_" she incredulously repeated. "After what happened yesterday…" She suddenly paused, pursing her lips in an unsure manner. "You should know very well what I'm thinking about… I mean, how can I _not_ think about it?"

To this, his mind instantaneously flashed back to the night before, conjuring up an image of a shivering, sniveling, petrified blonde who had appeared at Levy's apartment at the single most inopportune time. She'd interrupted his suppertime, dammit, and, no matter who it was, that was just something that was never—under any circumstances—excusable. Period.

Red eyes narrowed. "Ya shouldn't worry about other people's problems," he quipped irritably.

This time it was her turn to narrow her eyes—and damn, did they ever glow like fireflies or something when she did. "You should care about others more often," was her response. It was berating, cheeky, and all-too Levy.

And then, Gajeel did the single worst thing he could have possibly done in that moment of time—he rolled his eyes. They drifted to the ceiling nonchalantly as he released a snorting sound from the back of his throat, something almost animalistic-sounding. But when the solid script mage grew terse at this reaction, the dragonslayer felt himself blanching and almost physically…recoiling. See, when the little thing by his side was angry, she either yelled at him—making him feel like the lowest of the low, the scum that was scraped from the dirtiest, underbelly-parts of the world—or she lectured him—making him feel stupid. If he was honest with himself, Gajeel couldn't decide which the worst of the two was; in his mind, they were both equally disdainful events. But, perhaps the lecturing was worse, since it tended to drag on and on for what seemed like hours. He'd never been able to sit still during lectures—not even when he'd been younger and under the guidance of Metalicana—and Levy was no exception to this rule. In fact, she was so articulate and words-y when she lectured that it almost drove him to insanity. So, he wanted to avoid that situation at all costs; there was no way that he was going to sit through that.

Again.

Not that he was scared of the tiny girl, he reasoned to himself. He seriously doubted she could scare him even if she tried—and the heaven's knew how determined that girl could be once she'd set her mind to something. Gajeel prided himself on being one of the biggest, baddest predators out there. Nothing really scared him. Levy's lectures just sounded really, really unpleasant.

Coming to this well-rounded conclusion, Gajeel forcibly restrained another sigh and settled for letting his eyes drift back to hers in a show of a non-verbal truce. She accepted said truce, it appeared, when she simply rolled her own eyes and quickly said, "This is Lu-chan we're talking about after all…" Her tone was dejected, voice soft, and her eyes gradually lost that fierce glow.

She was sad.

"Bunny-girl ain't a kid." Gajeel found himself scrutinizing the bluenette more carefully than before, ever reproachful of that look of hers. "She can take care of herself and her own problems."

"But she's my best friend!" Levy was quick to counter, flinging her head to the side. Amber eyes regained that heated texture to them as she scowled up at her partner. "Her problems are my problems too, that's kind of how this friend-thing works, Gajeel…" She sighed, initial anger subsiding at the almost startled look he gave her. "She asked me…_begged_ me to keep this secret," it was a mere whisper that Gajeel would have missed if he hadn't had especially sharp senses.

"Well," he snorted, crossing his arms, "it ain't like she can keep it a secret for very long. And what about Salamander? Ya just gonna lie to his face or something?"

At his surprisingly sharp and accusatory tone, Levy shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I… Lu-chan and I came to the decision that she should tell Natsu eventually…just not now."

The dragonslayer only lifted a studded brow in a challenging manner, his lips pursed and his eyes narrowed. The look said: _oh, really?_ "Tch," he grunted, "and I s'pose ya want me to keep quiet about it too, don'tcha?"

She winced. He was making it sound as if they were asking him to cover up a murder…

"Gajeel…it's not like that…"

"Then what's it like?"

Levy huffed. "Okay!" she half-shouted, her temper flaring uncharacteristically. "So maybe it _is_ like that…but there's no other way around it… There's nothing we can do other than lay low. Besides, this isn't our secret to share, it's Lu-chan's."

"Doesn't Salamander have the right to know?" Gajeel asked.

"He does…" Levy admitted as her eyes fell to her hands again. They were white-knuckled and squeezing together harder than before. "Out of everyone, he has to biggest right to know…" Here, she paused, eyes growing sad again. "But, Lu-chan is…she's terrified, Gajeel… You have to understand. This—something like this is life-changing, and it scares her…especially since she's never done anything like this before. She'll tell him, though, when she's had enough time to sort out her feelings, when she doesn't feel so trapped…" The solid script mage, without thinking twice about it, reached over and draped a single, miniscule hand on top of one of his larger, rougher ones. Her fingers gave a gentle squeeze, pleading for understanding. "So, please," she continued, "don't tell anyone? At least, not right now?"

Now, Gajeel felt as though _he_ were the one who was trapped. When she was pinning him down with such an earnest stare, her lips thinned in all seriousness, blue eyebrows drawn together and her hand that, for some reason, felt like a lead weight on his own… It almost infuriated him that such a small creature, with such small and insignificant gestures, could make him feel as though he were being pressed up against a stone wall. How he hated that feeling. In fact, he loathed it. Loathed it to the point that he broke eye contact and sighed in defeat.

"Look, I ain't gonna tell nobody… Ye're right; it ain't my secret to tell. I can leave that part to Bunny-girl. As for Salamander…" He trailed off, eyes rolling up to the ceiling, almost as if he were seriously contemplating something.

Levy bit her bottom lip.

"I ain't gonna tell him," Gajeel finally answered, voice low. "But, if he asks, I ain't gonna deny it either."

And she exhaled, feeling much more relieved than she would have liked. A hand was pressed to her heart and she closed her eyes before breathing out, "Thank you, Gajeel… That's more than I could have asked for. I'm sure Lu-chan appreciates it too…"

The two then fell into a comfortable silence. But, despite this, Levy still felt her hands clenching and un-clenching in that never ending cycle. Nothing, it seemed, would quench her anxiety.

"Lu-chan…" Levy whispered beneath her breath, her teeth grinding against her lips in the next second. Her friend's name was lighter than air, and it escaped Gajeel's ever-sharp ears. "Lu-chan," she repeated, louder this time, "I hope you're alright…"

…

_"…I…I think I'm_ pregnant_…"_

_No one in the room had been expecting the blunt statement from the quivering, pitiful thing that had parked herself in front of the closed door. Least of all said quivering, pitiful thing as she sucked her lips back and waited with baited breath for what felt like an eternity. She couldn't believe she'd actually said it…and so plainly at that. But, how else was she supposed to have put it? There was no dancing around this sort of matter, it was far too serious, complex and…devastating, Lucy would admit._

_Still, she watched eagerly for her friend's reaction—bleary brown eyes soaking in the bluenette's every expression: shock, confusion, shock, realization, shock, fear, shock and then a blank mask that terrified the blonde. Levy had never worn that look before. Her grain-colored eyes were alight with what Lucy would have liked to place as sympathy, and her lips were thinned to the point that it was hard to tell where her upper lip stopped and her bottom lip began._

_Meanwhile, from the doorway that lead to the living room, a rather startled Gajeel blinked and stifled what would have been a rude snort of utter surprise. He batted his eyes a few more times, feeling something suddenly clog his throat and this settling weight in his chest that he could only describe as uncomfortable. Swallowing roughly, as if he were trying to dislodge whatever obstruction had lodged itself in his throat, the dragonslayer inched the heel of his boot backwards. His arms unfolded._

_This was not a conversation for a man. And most definitely not a conversation that he intended to listen in on. Though he would not lie, Bunny-girl being pregnant certainly had piqued his interest and given rise to a few questions along with it. But a bigger part of him wanted nothing to do with the conversation that would undoubtedly take place, so he began a hasty retreat to the living room sofa, feeling an even larger scowl than before cross his face. As if there wasn't enough damn drama in the guild already…_

_Finally, the seemingly mute solid script mage blinked her large eyes as she felt them sting with tears. "Oh…" she whispered. "Oh, Lu-chan…"_

_And just from her friend's tone of voice and downcast expression, Lucy burst into tears once more. They rolled down her face again, dribbling to her chin and running down the sides of her neck—she didn't bother to wipe them away, it would be a futile effort, she knew. "Levy-chan, I…I…" she stammered, sniffling when her nose felt like it was about to run. "I don't want to be pregnant!"_

_"I know," her friend replied softly, looking down as she bit her lip. "I know…" But there was nothing else that she could say… Nothing else that she could do. "Did you…" Levy started slowly. "Did you take a test?"_

_Sniffling again, the blonde let out a gasping breath as she shook her head. More tears fell. "No…no, I didn't… I didn't exactly have the mindset to go to the hospital, you know? I just…all of the sudden, I was here and…and… Mavis, Levy-chan, what am I going to do? I can't…I can barely look after myself, let alone a child! I'm not ready, Levy-chan, I'll never be ready for something like this… What am I going to do?"_

_The smaller of the two girls suddenly thrust out both of her hands in a 'stopping' motion, her face contorted with sincere concern. When Lucy stilled again, her mouth shutting slowly, Levy draped those tiny hands of hers on her friend's shoulders, giving a small squeeze for comfort, and drew the crying girl closer to herself. "It'll be alright," Levy said._

_"How do you know?" Lucy challenged bitterly._

_"I…" Levy sighed. "I don't," she admitted. "But, in times like these, all you can do is just live day by day and hope just a little."_

_"What can I hope for?"_

_At this, the bluenette was silenced. She didn't know how to answer that question, really, she didn't. Her heart was aching to reply to her single closest friend on Earthland and yet, she had no answer to give… It broke that aching heart of hers._

_"You haven't tested yet…" she quickly changed the subject._

_Lucy pulled back from their prolonged hug, wiping the—finally—slowing tears that leaked from her puffy eyes. She sniveled. "No…I haven't… Are you saying that I should go to Magnolia Central Hospital?" Her voice, at the mentioning of the medical facility, squeaked. "I…I can't! I mean, what if someone sees me there? Or worse, what if a reporter sees me and then writes an article about me? It might get published and then people will think that I'm some sort of…of _whore_," she twisted the word around nastily, her lips curling and her eyes watering all over again, "and then it'll cause trouble for the guild and I'll have to leave! I don't want to leave, Levy-chan!" Again, the blonde broke into sobs._

_"Lu-chan," Levy said, her voice solid and stable, "I never said anything like that… And leave? Why would you have to leave? You're exaggerating…it's okay, calm down, it's okay…"_

_Oh, how Lucy wanted to take this advice to heart—calm down. As if she could! How on Earthland could she possibly be calm if she was pregnant? She wasn't even an adult yet, still quite young at nineteen… How was she supposed to live her life from now onwards? There would be no partying, no drinking, no boyfriends…she would have to devote her life to a child that wasn't even supposed to exist!_

_It wasn't fair. In no way was this even remotely fair. She'd been a good child all throughout her life—sure, she'd had a rebellious stage, but considering her upbringing, Lucy supposed that it could only have been expected of her. She'd never done anything too bad before—never killed anyone, never cheated on her boyfriends, never betrayed a friend—so how could karma be so cruel to her? It wasn't fair. She was supposed to find a loving boyfriend, get married and _then_ have kids… This was _not_ how it was supposed to happen._

_In a rush, Lucy felt her legs fold, crumpling underneath her weight. She lurched forward and only steadied herself after Levy braced both of her hands on her shoulders. "Lu-chan, let's go to the living room… I have something that could be useful," Levy urged, tugging her friend towards the same doorway that Gajeel had disappeared through not five minutes before._

_Initially, the celestial mage was reluctant, letting out a guttural noise of disapproval and digging her naked heels into the wooden floor of Levy's kitchen. But, after a few tugs form the bluenette, Lucy gave in and stumbled with Levy's guidance to the living room which housed Gajeel—he was sitting in a lazy chair, eyes fixated on the Lacrima-Vision that was blaring a nonsensical, violent movie._

_The dragonslayer turned his head sharply to the doorway, his eyes zeroing in on the disheveled blonde—who was still crying her eyes out—and he openly blanched. No, no. No, this was his room, dammit. Well, actually, it wasn't really his room, seeing as he was only visiting the shrimp's house, but he'd thought he'd made himself very clear earlier, when he'd snuck off without a word, that this room would be the 'no female zone'. A place where he could numb his brain with stupid movies and not listen to the blathering of an overly-emotional celestial mage who was hitting her mid-life crisis early. The last thing Gajeel wanted to do was sit there and listen to Bunny-girl's sob story._

_Angrily, his gaze snapped to the tiny solid script mage, who met his glare head on. "The hell, Shrimp?" he growled lowly._

_But, said Shrimp wasn't at all offended or startled by his tone. Instead, she, rather daringly, puffed out her small chest and fixed him with a stern look. _This is my house, Gajeel,_ it clearly said. And it was indeed her house; which also meant that if he was staying, he had to abide by her rules. He grunted, not at all liking the idea—but, he wasn't about to leave. Shorty had promised him dinner, and he'd be damned before he'd pass up a free meal._

_"Gajeel," Levy finally said, "let Lu-chan sit down…and _please_ turn that off." She, with a frown on her usually bright and cheery face, jerked her head towards the incessantly loud Lacrima-Vision. She honestly hated when he watched shows that focused on nothing but violence, weapons and sex—it was such a typical male thing that it irked her to no end._

_At the tiny girl's command, Gajeel grumbled something under his breath, snapping up and turning the Lacrima-Vision off in the next second. He was not pleased. At all. But as stated: her house, her rules. It didn't really matter if he was pleased or not with the arrangement. As he ushered himself into a remote corner of the room, Lucy was lead on shaking legs to the lazy chair that he'd been occupying._

_"Okay, sit here," Levy instructed, forcefully sitting the blonde down, "and I'll be right back. Try to calm down, ne?" She flashed a quick smile before darting a glance at Gajeel over Lucy's head, her eyes belying how honestly troubled she was._

_It almost startled him, really. He thought, though, by the look she was secretly giving him, that she'd come to him and want to talk about it—since, usually, that was what she did. For some reason, he found that she liked to come to him with all of her problems; and it should have bothered him. But, what _really_ bothered him was the fact that he didn't mind it… So, when she turned on her heel and dashed to the bathroom, he was a little stunned._

_Not even five seconds later, though, she had returned with small slips of white paper in her hands. And Gajeel, despite his usually aloof and nonchalant nature, found himself quirking a brow at the sight. Paper? What on Earthland did Shorty need paper for? Suddenly, a sickening thought came to the iron dragonslayer… Mavis, she wasn't about to help Bunny-girl write her will, was she? Had he not had such a good poker face, Gajeel knew that he would have turned green. Surely, he thought, being pregnant or whatever couldn't be _that_ bad…_

_"What…are those?" Lucy asked in a hoarse voice when Levy kneeled down in front of her and held out the small strips of paper._

_"Well, these, Lu-chan, are called Tester Strips." The solid script mage held one up for close inspection, twiddling it in between two of her fingers and rubbing it experimentally. _

_The blonde of the bunch sniffed, her eyes momentarily clearing. "…Tester Strips?"_

_"After asking around…I managed to get some from Bisca-san, she has a whole box of them. I got them last week after…well, you know," Levy explained blushingly, her cheeks red from embarrassment. But she didn't need to explain further, Lucy understood instantly—she'd gotten them right after her first few vomiting episodes. "Anyway," the tiny girl cleared her throat, "they're magically infused pieces of paper that, with a drop of blood, can distinguish the hormone levels in a woman's body. When they detect extreme amounts of Estrogen and hCG, they will turn blue." _

_Lucy nodded, soaking up the information. "Estrogen and hCG are hormones that my body would be making if I'm pregnant, aren't they?"_

_"Essentially, yes." Levy nodded before placing one of the tiny strips in Lucy's awaiting palm. "When a woman's pregnant, her body starts making a lot more of it to help compensate for the baby. But, anyway, if they don't detect abnormal amounts of Estrogen and hCG, they'll turn pink."_

_From the corner, Gajeel swore he was feeling heat creeping up the back of his neck. Dammit, why hadn't he left? Listening to the midget talk about hormones and shit was making him all squirmy…which was exceedingly unusual. Gajeel never squirmed, even when held under the vicious gaze of a predator or enemy. Even so, that heat was still there, and he found himself crossing his arms and shifting his weight from foot to foot anxiously. His gaze never lingered on one specific place for too long._

_"And…you want me to use them?" was all that Lucy murmured, turning the little slip over in her shaking hands._

_"Yeah, all it needs is just a little, tiny drop of blood from your finger." As if to vouch for this, Levy held up a thin sewing needle, letting it catch in the dim light. "So, give me your hand," she said quietly. Lucy did as she was told, feeling numb all the while. She didn't notice when Levy pricked her finger, or when she squeezed a drop of blood onto the paper, or even when she murmured, "Okay, done."_

_Meanwhile, Levy had cast her eyes to Gajeel again, silently pleading for him to look at her. He, thankfully, seemed to receive this silent message as he turned his head in just the slightest fraction to hold her gaze. Levy knew that her eyes were filled with worry, even though she managed to put on a brave front for Lucy—she just needed a person to vouch all of her true thoughts to. And right now, that person was Gajeel. Even if he did look like some poor boy being dragged through the underwear section of a clothing store by his mother._

_Quickly enough, though, he tore his eyes from hers—probably from embarrassment, she thought with a slight smile—and settled for brooding darkly, glaring at the innocent wall. Levy would have laughed at this, at such a childish reaction from him, but, a sudden, vise-like, death-grip on her hand made her pause and turn to Lucy, the perpetrator._

_Her face was ashen, eyes blank and filling with water again as she looked pointedly down at her left hand that clenched that small piece of paper. Levy furrowed her brows, confused, and was about to ask her friend what was bothering her…until she noticed the color of the strip._

_Blue._

_No words were exchanged then, only tense silence. It could have been seconds, or perhaps a long few minutes, but, all too suddenly, the blonde let out a wail. The cry made Levy cringe._

_"No…" Lucy sobbed into her hands as she lurched forward in the chair. "No, I can't…this can't be happening… Levy-chan, this can't be happening to me!"_

_All Levy could do was sit there, in silence, and watch as her very best friend cried her heart out. Inside, it was killing her, tearing her apart, to see Lucy like this. Lucy was supposed to smile, supposed to laugh, supposed to be the cheerful one who always looked on the bright side. She wasn't supposed to look so defeated… But, still, Levy found that she could do nothing to help. There was no consoling this type of pain._

_Eventually, though, Lucy was coherent enough to blubber, "What am I going to do?"_

_The solid script mage, still kneeling, chewed on her bottom lip again. "The father is…Natsu, isn't it?" she asked hesitantly, watching out of the corners of her eyes for Lucy's reaction._

_The blonde stiffened, her shoulders turning rigid at the question. But, after a second's pause, she sniffed, scrubbing at her face, and muttered, "Yeah…he is… I haven't had a boyfriend in almost nine months, haven't slept with a man in almost a year and this is what happens as soon as I make a mistake? How? Why?" Her voice was rising in volume and octaves, peaking at a level that made Gajeel, in the corner, wince from its shrillness. "It's not fair…" She tucked her feet underneath herself, curling into a ball as best as she could on the chair and buried her face in her arms._

_"No," Levy replied sorrowfully, "it's not… But, what's done is done, Lu-chan… There's no getting around it now." But, the bluenette paused, a daunting look in her eyes as she came to a…less than pleasant conclusion that gave her goose bumps and shivers. "Unless…" she continued softly, "you want to…"_

_Like a shot, the celestial mage sprung upwards, her face twisted in flushed panic. "No!" she shouted. "I would never…never, ever even think about that, Levy-chan… It's not the baby's fault, how could I cast it away? I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt if I did that…"_

_Appearing relieved, Levy exhaled. Good. Abortion was an option that Levy had always found a little…cruel. No matter the circumstances, she felt that the child was innocent—even if, by some means, it wasn't conceived in the most preferred of ways. If Lucy had decided to give the child up…Levy honestly didn't know if she would have been able to support her friend. A thought that scared her a little._

_"Oh, Mavis…" Lucy suddenly moaned, her face looking almost green. Distress quickly morphed into horror on her face as she touched her waist, her thin index finger tracing where her newest scar was. She blanched again. "…In the Waas Forest… I almost…"_

_Levy, understanding where her friend was taking the conversation, blanched and looked down._

_"If Wu had been just two centimeters closer…he would've… The baby would've…" The blonde was horrified, her brown eyes widening, mouth dropping open, hand curling around her recently healed wound. "I almost got it _killed_, Levy-chan…" Though she certainly didn't want to be pregnant, she didn't want an innocent child to die either. And, because she hadn't known, she'd almost had her baby run through with a spear…_

_"That's not your fault," Levy soothed. "You didn't know. Nobody knew…"_

_"But still! It's just more proof that I'm not responsible enough to… I just can't do it on my own…"_

_Levy's eyes grew soft._ _"Then…are you going to tell Natsu?"_

_Again, Lucy jerked, her body growing even more terse. "_No!_" she shouted again, more forcefully than the last time and with a biting edge to it. _

_Levy started at the reaction. _

_With wide eyes, Lucy lowered her eyes and her voice, saying, "I mean, no… No, I can't tell him… I just…I can't… He'd just feel even more obligated to be with me, and honestly, I'd hate that. I'd hate myself for that… Plus, it would ruin our friendship, we'd never be able to go back to being like we were… And…what if he doesn't want kids? What if he wants me to…" She stopped then, shuddering, quaking violently as the tears began again. Her fingers wrapped around her upper arms in a self-hug, digging into the bare skin that was present._

_"Lu-chan…" Levy whispered, reaching out with comforting hands. "I'm sure he would never even think about asking you to get rid of the baby… That's just not Natsu. He would never ask that of you."_

_"Still," the blonde cried, "how can I tell him? I told him that we never slept together… I _lied_ to him, Levy-chan… I can't just tell him that I'm pregnant with his child! He would never trust me again!"_

_Levy couldn't deny this. She knew Natsu hated it when people lied to him—even Lucy. In fact, _especially_ Lucy. "But…you can't just keep this a secret… Eventually, you know, you'll start showing. People will notice, Lu-chan, and then they'll talk, and then they'll ask who the father is… I guess you could keep them in the dark for a while, tell them that it's a surprise, but…eventually, Natsu should know. It's his child too. He'll be a father come spring, shouldn't he have the right to know?"_

_Of course, Lucy already knew the answer to this. Keeping a father and a child separate was selfish and cruel and she knew it. Oh, she knew it very well. "I know…he should," she admitted, eyes downcast to her hands as they clenched around the little piece of blue paper again. "Just…not now. I'm not ready…"_

_And, honestly, deep down inside, she didn't know if she'd _ever_ be ready._

* * *

**_Yep. Long ass flashback. And, as for the tester strips, I totally just made that up, thank my creative imagination for that one folks :) Next time: what will Lucy do now?! Her whole world is changing! Chapter 18: The Attention. Be prepared for a little bit of ecchi!_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:_ **_TabsTeam, skylar, akira, Pikas, courtneylynn, LovingmyOTP's, NonieBee, Kuronekohimesama, ashlieswifty, FullMoon'sCat-elf, goichi, lurvevanilla, natsu, leoslady4ever, Caught in a love triangle, GuiltyCrown09, Ryujin65, Cupcake-Lover-1374, LuckyLifeSmile, nessa, AmuletDragonSlayerFairy, beibieRen, AngelsFairyTail, KHLostEmpress, Collaborative Lady, dog's paw burning in hot ash, NaLu, KristyKakes, AkaneGyn10186, Reika Natsuki, QueenP19, Cat Goliath, Mira-sans' helper, Megakimirapika, Disappear500, LoveIsARose, TheLostHope_

**_All of you make me feel so loved and accomplished! There is one thing though... a lot of you, in your last review, have asked that the baby be a girl and that I name her Eclair or Nashi... Please do NOT take this the wrong way, but, I have this whole story planned out already. Including the child's gender and name. I won't tell you what they are, because when we get to that point in the story it will be much more...emotional. And I appreciate your suggestions and I always encourage you to voice your thoughts. Still, though, I had to let you all know. :)_**

**_ALSO. Happy belated Valentine's Day! Much love to all of you and I sincerely wish that I could teleport each and every once of you a box of chocolates! And you know what else? You could make my Valentine's weekend so much better by leaving a review!  
_**


	18. The Attention

_**Ugh, hoping you all had a better week than I did. Seems like just before everything goes bad, it's all really good right? Oh well. C'est la vie. Time to move on. Relationships don't always last unfortunately. At least I have this to look forward to :D And your guys' wonderful reviews :3 Have I mentioned that I love all of you? Well, I do. Just letting you know :)**_

_**WARNING: **__Gray has a potty mouth. And he likes to get naked. _

**_That is all. Enjoy! And review! Let me know what you think about the Natsu/Gray rivalry ;) I had fun with the name-calling hehehe._**

**_ALSO: _**_Err...so I got a Tumblr... Yep. My username is ToxiNeena, just like here. Feel free to follow me if you'd like...but, I'm still trying to figure out how to use it...sooooo... :3_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Attention**_

* * *

The morning found Natsu sitting at the bar with crossed arms, his knee jumping rhythmically as a masculine pout molded across his firm lips. Now, usually, he would have been prancing around the guild with a ridiculous smile stretching his face, annoying passerbies and causing mayhem. What made today, of all days, different? Natsu suddenly sulked further into the barstool, propping his head onto a single, clenched fist, and blinked hazily at the sight of the crystalline mugs neatly stacked behind the bar counter.

Lucy.

That was what made this morning different from the rest. As he'd suspected a few weeks before, something was awfully strange about her. She looked more emotional, smelled stronger, was extremely skittish, and now there were _physical_ changes to her. At least, Natsu swore there were. It could have been his eyesight, or the fact that he was maybe just a _little_ bit paranoid, but, every time he glanced at her—sitting in the back of the room, laughing without a care and indulging in idle, female-centric chatter—he just knew that there were little changes. A deeply buried instinct just told him so. And an idle part of him wondered if that small voice was what Lucy had called a 'conscious' on previous occasions…

The dragonslayer snorted, his eyebrows pulling down. Well, whatever this 'conscious' thing was, he was going to listen to it for once. Because Lucy was different. How? He still couldn't quite place it…but…maybe it was just that…

Her skin, for one, looked brighter, almost creamer, and it definitely looked softer. And some part of him, for whatever reason, ached to touch the skin along her body just to justify how exactly soft it was. The thought should have disturbed him somewhat, he realized. But, the more he thought about how strange it _should have been_, the more he just thought about her skin…and how pretty it looked. How smooth it looked… How _soft_ it looked… And the more he thought about how pretty, smooth and soft it looked, the more he wanted to touch it—like a never ending cycle.

This had never happened before…_ever_. He'd never wanted to physically touch someone solely for the sake of touching them…solely for the sake of feeling that precious, innocent, flesh beneath his roughened fingertips. He started, catching himself. Was there something wrong with him? There _had_ to be, because this wasn't normal. At this, he shook his head roughly from side to side, pink, messy hair flying in all different directions. No, this wasn't about him, this was about Lucy…and her nice, _soft_ skin…

"Gah!"

And he promptly slammed his head onto the barstool's shining countertop with a harsh _bang_, startling everyone in the near vicinity, and making him wince from the bruise that would surely be there the next time he picked his head back up.

"Whoa there…" came a voice from his left, smug and cocky and unmistakably Gray. "Don't go causing any permanent damage, you're stupid enough as it is," he chuckled with an arrogant grin.

Anger sparking, the man with rosy hair turned his tanned face to the side and fixed his life-long rival with a vicious glower. And if Natsu were to brag as he usually did, he would have said that his glare was hot enough to melt that damn prick who sat next to him with crossed arms and a suspiciously bare torso. "Oi," he sneered, his nose scrunching, "who're you calling stupid, stupid?"

"Well, obviously the idiot smashing his brains out on Mira-chan's nice counter," Gray snorted, rolling his dark eyes at his rival's unoriginal comeback. But when said idiot made no attempt at making a snarling, huffing retort to this, the habitual stripper felt himself frowning. Something appeared to be wrong. "Something's gotta be eating at you… You're not usually stupid enough to purposely hurt yourself."

Natsu's dark green eyes narrowed unsurreptitiously in ever the challenging manner and he twisted his lip, revealing sharp incisors that made their threat clear enough. And when he let his jaw unclench, his spine snapping to attention, he very nearly unleashed a nasty slew of instigating, derogatory comments that would have inevitably led to an all-out kicking, punching, clawing brawl of epic proportions—but a sudden giggle interrupted this, causing him to immediately pause. Slowly, he dragged his eyes from the curious gaze of Gray, to the hunched-over-with-laughter form of a certain blonde in the back of the room.

All too suddenly, his mouth was dry. And not just dry, but dry-dry, _parched_; so dry, in fact, that he wouldn't have been surprised to find a mini desert dune covering his tongue. Why? Well, maybe it was something about that blonde who seemed to glow even brighter the longer he stared at her. But, of course, it could have just been him… After all, with all those colds and flus floating around Magnolia, he couldn't be too sure of anything anymore.

A sudden, slow exhale from the ice mage to his left drew Natsu's attention reluctantly. "Oh," said ice mage murmured in a knowing tone. "So _that's_ what it is…"

"What?" Natsu 's brice-colored eyes flashed to Gray's again.

"About damn time… We were getting worried that maybe you were asexual or something…"

To this, Natsu gave a long pause and quirked a brow as if he didn't quite understand something. "A-what now? What's that even mean, huh, you bastard?" He didn't know exactly why, but, for some reason, that word—asexual, or whatever—made him feel incredibly defensive, so he pressed his face dangerously close to Gray's, silently daring the ice mage to elaborate.

"Uh," the ice mage fumbled, trying not to laugh at the dragonslayer's apparent lack of proper education, "it doesn't matter, you wouldn't understand anyway." He shook off the dark look Natsu gave and ignored the nearly palpable waves rolling off of him that screamed, "I would too understand!". "Anyway, when did it happen? During that last mission when she was knocked out for a good few weeks? Mira-chan said it would be like that… I've got to start learning to not bet against her, dammit…that just cost me 1,000 Jewels… But, I guess almost losing someone close really make you see things clearly, eh, Flame-brain?"

Natsu merely blinked owlishly at his companion. "Uh…what?" He honestly had no idea what Gray was talking about… When did _what_ happen? And what about the last mission? Betting? Seeing clearly?

The confusion must have been plain on his face because Gray's smirk quickly fell and was replaced with a look of shock. His jaw was slack when he said, "You're kidding me, right?"

Another blink from Natsu.

"Mavis…no wonder she hits you so much… Probably gave you some brain damage or something…"

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?" the hot head demanded, feeling that familiar burning sensation in the tips of his fingers. He itched to drive a well-deserved, flaming, punch-of-death to the face of the cocky, snorting, dark-haired mage who was now shaking his head in what appeared to be disbelief.

"You mean you honestly have no clue what I'm talking about? I mean, I knew you were dense, but this is taking it to the extreme… Seriously, I just _saw_ the way you looked at her."

"The hell are you talking about, you freaky stripper?"

"_Lucy,_" Gray groaned in an exasperated manner, his hands flying outward in a display.

Natsu's eyes widened a fraction, the feelings or irritation suddenly vaporizing into thin air, and he sat back into his stool without so much as a grunt of protest. How had Gray known that he'd been thinking about Lucy? Was he some kind of mind reader? Suspicious now, the young man with pink hair cast a glance to the perpetrator, only to find him staring back with what could only be described as incredulity.

"You knew I was thinking about her?" was all the fire mage then said, eyes suddenly softer.

"Of course," Gray nodded, "I mean, you were staring at her, all starry-eyed and shit… It was kinda nasty, dude." Like he was proving this, the ice mage shuddered, grabbing at his bare arms and rubbing them profusely as if it would bring some warmth back into his half-naked body.

"Starry-eyed?" the dragonslayer repeated and let his head fall to the side.

What did that even mean? Was it some sort of special term to describe women? Because, he'd heard Gildarts tell women, plenty of times, that their eyes _sparkled like stars that had fallen from the heavens_ or something or other… But, usually, that ended with either Gildarts being slapped by Cana, or Gildarts being slapped by the random woman he'd spoken to. So, Natsu wasn't really sure what it meant in this context.

As though he'd sensed Natsu's thoughts on the matter, Gray groaned again, muttering, "Oh, forget it…" But he was quick to add, "You were thinking about her though, right?"

Natsu contemplated this for a brief moment, thinking back, before deciding that, yes, he had been doing just that. Now, whether his thoughts had made any sense to him was a different matter entirely, but, he knew that he'd been thinking about her…or rather, her skin. "Yeah," he said sharply, physically shaking the thoughts from his skull. "She's…different…"

"Different?" Gray echoed, pitch rising in curiosity. "Different how?" He turned in his stool, his eyes searching for the familiar blonde head amongst the sea of mages that crowded the drinking hall. It didn't take all too long to locate her in the back of the room, still sitting at that table with Levy and Bisca and laughing with a pretty blush on her cheeks. Gray held in a low whistle. "Well, I'd say she looks just fine. In fact, she looks better than fine… I thought that, with all the colds and flus she's been picking up recently, she'd look a lot worse, but, she's looking better than I've seen her in weeks."

And it was true. She looked happier, healthier, and all around just…better. In fact, if Gray hadn't been so choosey with his words and so picky with which of those few words he would actually say, he would have said that she was _glowing_. A little rounder, a little softer-looking, a little more radiant. To say that it wasn't the least bit attracting would have been a lie.

"Yeah…" he muttered to himself as he let his dark eyes rake down her curvaceous form—they fell from her almond eyes, to her slim neck, her full breasts, narrow waistline, flaring hips, long legs, and then traveled back upwards before halting. The shirt she was wearing was low cut…_extremely_ low cut, a plunging neckline that left just the perfect amount to the imagination, much to Gray's inadvertent pleasure. "And, dude, have you seen her boobs?" He leaned over to Natsu, a lecherous grin playing at his lips. "Is it just me, or, have they gotten _bigger?_ Is that even possible?"

The former partaker of the conversation suddenly stiffened a considerable amount at the mention of Lucy's…assets. He, for no reason at all, suddenly had that urge again—the urge to drive a hole through Gray's face and burn his corpse for the world to see. And this…confused him. One, because he didn't know why he was so angry all of the sudden, and two, because even though he'd brawled with Gray a countless number of times, he'd never actually wanted to hurt him a good deal. _Just what had made him angry? _Natsu wondered. The mentioning of Lucy's boobs?

Well, he thought in all seriousness, that didn't really make any sense seeing as he used to talk with Gray about Lucy's boobs all the time—she'd get mad at them for it though, and usually beat them to a pulp before making them solemnly swear that they would never, ever speak of her body in such perverted ways again. Of course, she'd given that speech a good number of times, so he thought that she would have realized that it was a moot cause, trying to get them to stop talking about her body, by now. Because, the heavens knew that she had a glorious body—even Natsu, dim as he was, recognized this fact—and people, no matter who they were, were bound to talk about it sooner or later. But, anyway, back to the matter at hand…

"Don't know," Natsu answered after his seemingly elongated pause, honestly surprised that he'd managed to keep himself in check. "They've always been big…"

_And soft…_ a voice chimed from the inner recesses of his mind. He stilled again, feeling a shudder ripple through the soul of his frame and up his suddenly-rigid spine. _Soft…_ He had no idea how he knew, but he just _knew_ exactly how soft they were…he could picture it, could almost feel the softness of the flesh on his palms, could perfectly guess how well they would fit in his hands…

His nostrils flared.

_What on Earthland was he thinking? _Lucy would have slapped him ten times over if she knew that he was even considering the remote possibility of thinking about the cushiony feeling of her breasts! In fact, knowing her, she would have grabbed one of Levy's encyclopedias to bludgeon him with… At the thought, he shuddered again, this time in fear of the celestial mage's wrath.

"Oi," Gray grunted, laughing, "you really are a pervert, aren't you?" He started laughing louder and rocking back in his barstool, completely ignorant of the offended look he was receiving.

"Pervert?" Natsu found himself saying incredulously. "_You're_ the pervert, you stripper."

And the laughing came to a dead halt, as did the chair-rocking. Gray let the stool's front legs come back to the floor with a louder than necessary, harsh, smacking sound, and he looked his rival in the eyes. "I can tell just by looking at you, you bastard, your face is all red. You're totally thinking about touching her boobs, aren't you?" He sounded quite pleased with himself before confirming in a solid voice, "Pervert."

"Well, _I'm_ not the one who strips off his clothes at any given chance," Natsu shot back as he folded his toned arms in a haughty motion. "And, by the way," he added hastily with a snorting chuckle, "put on your damn clothes!"

Gray let out an unmasculine shout of surprise, as though he were just coming to terms with the fact that he was somehow clad in only his boxers—and when he looked down to survey the damage that he'd done, he noticed with great disdain that his hands had already somehow inched themselves into the waistline. Had Natsu been a second later in warning him, he would've been naked for the whole guild to see. Frustrated, the ice mage began vigorously dressing himself and hissed, "You're still a pervert."

At the stripper's strained taunt, the dragonslayer grinned triumphantly, unfazed. "Well, you're the bigger pervert."

"How am I the bigger pervert, Flame-brain?"

"Because you like being naked, you horny, glorified, stripper!"

"Oi, what was that?"

"What was what?"

"Say that again, I dare you!"

"What? You mad?"

"No, I'm daring you, retard!"

"You know I can't back down from a dare, you _horny, glorified, stripper_."

"That's it, Flame-brain!"

"Bring it, Ice-queen!"

…

"…and Asuka did the most adorable—but embarrassing—thing to Al-kun the other day! Now, we were all taking a bath together, out favorite time of the day, when Al-kun realized that he forgot the soap. So, of course, he left to go get some, but, when he got out of the tub, Asuka looked at him and said – "

Bisca's story was cut short, unfortunately, as a deafeningly-loud argument burst forth from the bar counter, drawing any and all attention to a feuding duo that could only be Natsu and Gray. Again, as per the usual. The sharpshooter let out a long, low groan of disappointment, her dark eyes displaying the clear irritation she felt.

"At it again?" Bisca huffed, her chest puffing out a little bit more than was necessary.

From the western woman's left side came the wistful reply of, "If only Erza-san were here…" Levy, her tousled hair pulled back into an adorable headband, sighed, letting her petit shoulders sag. "They get along so well when she's around… How long is she going to be on that mission again?" she questioned aloud to either of her two companions, who both shrugged.

Lucy, to Bisca's right, rolled her eyes. "They never get along, they're always fighting about something. For all we know, it could be about Natsu eating all the chicken wings or something…" Which, considering everything, actually seemed fairly plausible. After all, they _were_ Natsu and Gray…

"_Oi! My pants! Give them back, you – don't you dare! Bastard, I swear if you put even one singe mark on those pants… Oi!"_

"_Oops…"_

"_That's it! Ice Make: Lance!"_

"_Ack! Oi, watch where you're aiming that thing, Ice-for-brains, you could've hit my head!"_

"_A fair trade for my pants, I suppose…they're worth about as much."_

"_What the hell's that supposed to mean?"_

For some reason, she found herself actually listening to the conversation between the two idiots who were busy bashing each other's brains out and making petty remarks about stupid, childish things…like pants, and the worth of one's brain. Why she associated with these people by _choice_, she would never know…

Of course, the sarcastic thought only earned her a well put, soft answer of, _because you love them all the same,_ from the back of her mind. And she had to smile at this…mostly because it was undeniably true. No matter how goofy and childish they could be, they were still the friends that cared for and cherished her unlike anyone else.

Natsu especially.

At the thought of the dragonslayer though, her smile slowly faded and she, in what was probably a subconscious manner, dropped a hand over her lower mid-section. _Natsu_… He cared for her, he cherished her—this she was positive of—but he was not…_in love_ _with her_. And a part of her had to wonder: _What will our child's future be like, then?_ One with a single mother and a father who was oblivious to his own child's existence? It saddened her a great deal. More than a great deal, actually. Because that was definitely not the kind of life that she wanted her son or daughter to live.

She'd had a rough childhood when her mother had died. And it had resulted in the deep, loathing hatred for her only father… When it came to her own children, this type of scenario was her greatest fear—the one thing that she definitely did not, under any circumstances, want to happen. Ever. No matter what happened, she wanted her child to grow up in a safe, loving, warm and happy home filled with smiles and cheer and everything wonderful. And she wanted her child to have _two happy_ and _in love_ parents.

It was a bit of an idealistic wish, Lucy realized this. But it was her wish nonetheless…

"_You just can't admit that you're the biggest pervert in Fiore, stripper!"_

"_Well, if I'm the biggest pervert in Fiore, you're the biggest pervert in _Earthland!_"_

"_Ha? Says the bastard who's stripping his underwear _right now…_"_

"_What the fuck? How did…? Never mind!"_

"_Ha! You lose this round, _stripper!_"_

And…these were the lovely comments that drew her out of her melancholy thoughts. She could've sworn there was a small tick in her right eyebrow, because it kept twitching periodically. When the fight continued—resulting in Natsu receiving a swift cuff to the back of his head and Gray taking a kick in the jaw—Lucy exhaled through her nose. She needed to get out of here before she did something she would later regret; like, for example, tugging one testosterone-high dragonslayer out of the guild and beating him to a pulp in Erza's place.

"No, no," she said slowly to herself as she closed her eyes. "Bad thoughts, Lucy, bad thoughts."

"What was that, Lu-chan?" Levy called, dragging her attention from the fight to her friend who was now heading for the exit.

"Hm? Oh, nothing," the blonde replied breezily with a smile. "Just heading out for a bit, maybe do a little bit of shopping, then head home. I'm a bit tired." Her hand fell across her stomach again, a discreet message.

Levy's keen eyes didn't miss this. "Okay, have fun. I'll meet up with you at your apartment later for dinner, sound good?"

_Dinner_, as Lucy deduced with a roll of her eyes, was probably keyword for _baby talk_. And as much as Lucy wanted to ignore the matter and pretend as though everything was normal, it wasn't normal, and it would never be normal again. Whether she liked it or not, she had to go through the motions and make sure that she was doing everything properly. This included regulated check-ups, medicine and _lots_ of reading—as if she hadn't been doing enough of that lately. And, more than likely, Levy probably wanted to help her get set up with Magnolia Central Hospital and find a suitable doctor who wouldn't leak information to the press that would undoubtedly be eating this up within the next few months.

Or, for all Lucy knew, the bluenette might have just wanted to look at names; which was a bit ridiculous, Lucy thought, considering the fact that there was no way to tell the gender yet and she wasn't even showing. But, naming was indeed important.

"Yeah." Lucy coughed, hoping that she hadn't paused for too long. "Dinner… I'll pick up some groceries while I'm out, then," she announced, to which Levy nodded and let a huge smile overtake her features. Sighing, mentally adding the chore of grocery shopping to her list, Lucy headed towards the door, leaving the chaos behind her with a sense of thankfulness.

However, no sooner had she brushed her fingertips against the grain of the wooden door that a voice came to her ears; familiar, succulent, sweet and in a chilling timbre, "Lucy, I see you're heading out…"

She didn't need to look up to know that it was Galahad—only he could possess such raw strength in his words alone that it made her stop dead in her tracks to swoon and listen. Even so, she willingly played the part of the startled doe and blinked up at him with wide, surprised eyes. "I didn't see you there," she said with a half-smile.

"Ah, I was just on my way out too," he offered as an explanation, his green eyes shimmering in that strange way they did when he was enjoying himself. And clearly, by the almost smug grin he wore, he was enjoying himself immensely.

"I see…"

Those shimmering eyes of his betrayed nothing—much to her disappointment—when he next said, "Would you, perhaps, like some company on the way home?" A hopeful glint.

"Oh," Lucy let out a little noise of surprise, her eyes widening, "no, that's okay. I have to stop and get the groceries, anyway; it would be a bit boring for you."

"Boring? Not at all. What kind of man would I be if I let a lady carry her groceries home?" A rueful smile.

And with only that—a few sentences, a few looks—Lucy was reduced to a smiling, blushing puddle of goo with weak knees. How on Earthland could he _possibly_ be so _charming_ and so _arrogant_ at the same time? Until now, she would have never thought it possible…or that it could actually be kind of endearing.

Chewing her lip, she exhaled before letting a soft smile grace her lips. It couldn't hurt, she supposed, to have someone accompany her to the store and then back home—and it definitely couldn't hurt to have someone carrying all of the groceries for her. After all, she'd heard that she wasn't supposed to be doing any 'heavy' lifting. And, of course, there was the added bonus of this someone being a very, _very_ handsome man. Lucy had to stifle a giggle.

"…Alright, I guess," she said, as if reluctant. "But, you're carrying everything. Deal?"

Galahad smirked as he watched those rapidly changing expressions, very much liking the way her angelic face had the slightest hue of pink to it. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Ever the gentleman, he pushed open the guild's large, double doors with a single hand and then stepped to the side, motioning for the once-heiress to go on ahead.

She did so without casting a glance behind her.

o0o

"You little fucker, those were my favorite pair of pants!"

"You're still going on about that? It's not like you actually wear them anyway, stripper!"

"Oi, you're asking for it!"

"Bring it on, pervert!"

"That's it, Flame-brain! I'm gonna beat you black and blue!"

"As if you could! I ain't gonna lose to you, Gray, now or ever!"

"One of us has to lose, and it sure as hell isn't going to be me!"

"Wanna test that theory?"

The sudden slamming of the guild doors startled both the males, who had gotten so lost in their heated argument that they'd pressed their foreheads together, snarling like wild, savage dogs. Natsu was the first to pull back after blinking, a tense Gray copying his actions not but a seconds later. Everyone was staring, not at the figure—that Natsu had deduced as Galahad with a curling of his lip—who had so rudely slammed the guild's double doors as he entered, but at them…and they were obviously irritated.

"Uh…" the dragonslayer mumbled as he absent-mindedly scratched at the back of his head. _"Wow,"_ he wanted to say aloud. Honestly, he hadn't realized how _loud_ he and Gray had been… And now that he glanced at the window, noticing the dark hue the sky held, he was honestly surprised to know that he and Gray had been fighting for what appeared to be _hours_.

How had they continued for so long?

Well, actually, that was easy, he thought. They had been able to fight for so long because Erza hadn't been there to forcefully stop them. But what did surprise him, if at all, was the fact that _Lucy_ hadn't stopped them at some point—she usually took it upon herself to break up their fights if Erza wasn't around or if they continued for elongated slots of time. He looked to the back of the room where the celestial mage had been sitting earlier in the day only to find it barren. Bisca and Levy weren't there either…

Where had Lucy gone? Home? At the thought, the dragonslayer scuffed his sandal against the wooden floor in disappointment. He'd been planning on asking her to go on a mission with him, but, seeing as she'd already left, he didn't think she would appreciate him tracking her down to ask—as evidenced by the previous time he had done so.

"Tch," the ice mage to his right huffed when he kept staring at the back of the room in silence. "Backing out?"

Natsu's eyes narrowed as he rounded on his rival, gritting his teeth with renewed vigor. "Not on your life, pervert!" Fire erupted in his hands, cracking and hissing its warning to the ice mage who simply smirked in response.

The rest of the guild let out groans of agitation as the two rivals circled each other, magic permeating the air like a fog. Round three-thousand and seventy-one was underway…

"Oi!" a brazen female voice shouted, startling both of the men again. Cana, at the bar with a mug of ale in her hands and her cards splayed across the countertop, frowned at them, wrinkling her nose in irritation. "Pipe down, you idiots…you've been fighting all day… Mou, Lucy should've stopped you two while she was here instead of running off with that new guy." Thoughtlessly, the brunette flicked a long lock of brown hair over her shoulder, flipped one of her cards, and then gulped down three swallows-worth of alcohol. And out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Natsu suddenly freeze.

The dragonslayer was impossibly rigid, muscles tense, tight and waiting to spring into action. "Lucy left with Galahad?" he said slowly, his voice dropping in tone and pitch so quickly that Gray, just behind him now, did a double take.

Cana blinked, fingers brushing over the card she'd just overturned. "Well, yeah… Didn't you see them? I couldn't hear much of what they were saying, but I think they went shopping," as the words tumbled out of her mouth, a sudden, knowing light came to her darker eyes and she grinned wolfishly. "Ah, maybe they went on a date?" she mused. "Mou, she moves fast… Scooping up the fresh meat already."

"Where?" Natsu's suddenly demanding voice interrupted.

The fortune teller only glanced towards her cards, waving dismissively at her comrade. "Who knows?"

Before she could blink, there was a muscular frame blocking the view of her cards and tanned, taught skin drawn over a well-toned stomach that clenched periodically in time with controlled breaths placed itself in her line of sight. Natsu looked down at her, his eyes blazing in a way that was usually saved for battle and other adrenaline-rushes. "Where?" he repeated softly.

He was angry. He was worried. Cana closed her eyes with a huff. He was _such_ a stupid idiot. "Ah, I heard that they were going to her house afterwards for dinner or something… What the hell, he's right over there. You go ask him yourself." When she looked back up at him though, he was already storming away, leaving a path of dead silence behind him. "You really are stupid," she muttered as she took yet another swig. Cana let her gaze drop back down to the cards spread across the counter.

They were telling her something…rather interesting. Something that even she had been skeptical to believe at first. But, judging from what she'd just seen…maybe her predictions weren't off after all…

Lazily, her fingers grazed over the three cards that had been at the top of the deck: _The Empress_, _The Tower_, and _The Lovers_. To what this combination meant, there were many possibilities, an immeasurable amount, really. Despite this, however, Cana suspected she had a small inkling of a clue as to what they meant, but, nothing was set in stone. Not yet, anyway.

She sighed. "Natsu, go get her, you idiot… Fix the problem before it starts."

* * *

**_Uh oh. Looks like Natsu's about to do something rather brash... Do you think he can control himself? Maybe...maybe not. Find out next time in chapter 19: The Discovery  
_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:_**_ courtneylynn, nessa, KHLostEmpress, TheDragoNSlayeRnATSU Nin-Nin, KawaiiOdango, DWB321, Dyvee, Pikas, TVfreak7, Kuronekohimesama, natsu, ILoveYourStory, misstirius, iscalda, Reika Natsuki, NaLu, QueenOfTheives, NonieBee, , leoslady4ever, AngelsFairyTail, Cat Goliath, dragoscilvio, Ryujin65, lurvevanilla, GuiltyCrown09, shandulah84, Disappear500, QueenP19, S4JM, Minx The Shadow Thief, Eternal Anime Fan, LovingmyOTP's, LoveIsARose, Mira-sans' helper, TheLostHope _

**_DWB321:_**_ First of all, I'd like to thank you for reviewing :) Makes my day to see a review from someone new! And thank you very much! I try really hard to make it realistic, even though I have no experience to go on whatsoever. And ICness is something I really, really worry about sometimes. It takes me forever to write a chapter, and sometimes, I wind up rewriting the whole thing because it just doesn't feel IC to me... It's good to know that I've been doing a good job, no matter how frustrating and difficult it can be sometimes :D AS for what happened while Lucy was unconscious, well, I think we might get a little into that in the next chapter... ;) Maybe. Juuuuust maybe._

**_ILoveYourStory:_**_ Wow! Thanks for the compliments :3 It occurred to me while I was mapping all this out back in October that this would be a really slow-paced story, but, I don't think I realized how slow until I start posting the chapters XD Ah, well, that just makes everything worth it in the long run, no? And about my writing style, your compliments made me blush! Dawwwww. I turned all mushy n stuff. I'm really happy to know that it has that sort of effect because I take so long to write out the chapters! Diction and syntax are my stronger points, and I'm working on grammar, too :3_

**_I sincerely love you all to little tiny bits. Really. NOW REVIEW. _**


	19. The Discovery

_**So...has anyone else heard that the FT anime is supposed to go on hiatus on March 30th? I think I nearly cried when I found that out... I'm not sure if it's "hiatus" or "cancelled" but I really, REALLY hope that they're just trying to give Mashima-sensei some time to publish new manga chapters so that they don't have to make up a whole new anime-only arc again... Like I said, REALLY HOPE SO. If it's really ending, though...I will cry. But, it won't be the end of the world; there's still the manga, which is way better anyway.**_

_**SPECIAL SHOUT OUT**__** TO**_ _Kohryu_ **_FOR BEING THE 450TH REVIEWER AND TO_** _goichi_ **_FOR BEING THE 500TH REVIEWER! AND~! SHOUT OUT TO _**_Zhiarlah_**_ FOR BEING THE 200 FAVORITE! _**

**_I can't believe we hit two big marks in one chapter, guys! :D And, now that we're on the subject...5OO REVIEWS! HOLY. CRAP. Never thought that I'd get SO many reviews...you have no idea how happy this makes me! Really...so happy. I love you all._**

_**Ahem. Now. Read on, my lovelies! And review!**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Discovery**_

* * *

What he was feeling…he couldn't explain. It, whatever it was, was bubbling in his stomach, boiling, and rising up into his throat with such a force that it made the tips of his fingers tingle from the intensity—his hands were dangerously close to bursting into flames due to said tingling, he realized faintly. The hair along the back of his neck, he was sure, was standing upright, completely rigid. He'd never felt anything like this before, not even during battle, not even when he'd thought that one of his comrades was in danger of losing their _life_. Never. Never had Natsu Dragneel felt this way. And yet…he just couldn't label what it was. He wanted to lash out, wanted to hit something, wanted to shout at the top of his lungs…all because his chest had this sort of…hollow ache to it.

And, when his ferocious gaze finally landed on Galahad, leaning lazily against the doorframe with an all-too casual smirk, he found that this feeling most certainly had a name.

Anger.

But, it was more than that. It was rage. But…it was more than that, too. It was fear. Still, it was more. It was worry.

All of those emotions, bundled up into one package and sitting like a rock in his stomach. And all of it was too much for him, too many things going on in his heart, too much emotion for the dragonslayer. So, before he knew what he was doing, he was grabbing Galahad's sleeveless jacket with both hands, drawing the dream caster closer, and all but snarling in his face.

"What did you do to Lucy?"

Natsu didn't even recognize his own voice at first. It was low, gravelly, and so intense that it left his own insides shivering from the contrast of his usual happy, cheerful tone. Despite this, though, Galahad looked ahead into Natsu's eyes, two shades of green clashing and silently battling—and from his very nature, Natsu could tell that Galahad wasn't the least bit intimidated. In fact, he was rather amused.

"Oh, come now…" the newest member of Fairy Tail drawled. His eyes never strayed. "Do you think that I would purposely try to harm her in some way?"

The grunt and tightening of his fists was all the answer that Natsu needed to give.

"Ah…" Galahad exhaled slowly, his shoulders rising in what was supposed to have been a shrug. "I wonder when the bonds between _nakama_ became so diluted…" Smugly, those eyes of his flashed in a way that had Natsu's stomach rolling and had his hands itching for the familiar burning sensation of ignition.

He caved into that desire for the briefest of seconds, an equally smug look glittering in his eyes, he was sure, and the front of Galahad's jacket hissed like a snake. Truly surprised, the dream caster yanked back with nothing more than a slight inhalation that vouched for his shock and surveyed the damage done to his vest with cautiously-probing fingers. It wasn't much—much to Natsu's dislike; he knew he couldn't have done much more—but there was a small, definite burn mark on the fabric.

A silent warning.

_Don't test me_, it said. And the message was quite clear.

But despite this, and despite the incredible glower on his face that usually scared his opponents stiff, Natsu found that Galahad's smirk only deepened. The dream caster even dared to chuckle and shrug it off, shaking his head in what looked like amusement, of all things. It only made Natsu angrier, of course.

"Okay, okay," Galahad finally sighed, his eyes clashing with Natsu's again. "I took Lucy home after our little date."

"I thought I told you to stay away from her," Natsu growled. "She got hurt because of you, nearly _died_ because of you. All because of _your plan_ back in the Waas Forest." He straightened his stance, trying to make himself appear more intimidating. "You put your own _nakama _in a medically induced coma for two weeks; you have no right to be anywhere near her."

Galahad was unfazed by this. He just shrugged and rolled his green eyes. "She asked me for my help. What was I going to do? Tell her no? Sorry, but that's not how I was taught to treat women. Besides, she seemed a little tired, and her body was a bit…_sore_." A dark glint was in his eyes, and a triumphant smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Date. Tired. Sore.

Natsu wasn't an idiot. He could understand things perfectly fine in some situations, contrary to what he knew the other members of the guild thought—and he could understand innuendos rather well, much to Erza's and Lucy's distaste. The words _date_ and _sore_ never belonged in any context together—not when said context involved Lucy in any way shape or form. Those words had his imagination whirling, spiraling into a dark place that he wanted to shy away from, to block from his mind—but he couldn't stop himself. And what he saw…the images…they were burned into his brain.

Lucy. Panting. Writhing. Whimpering. _Naked_.

The dragonslayer stumbled backwards as the onslaught of random images hit him with what felt like the force of a ton's worth of bricks.

Skin. Lips. Fingers. Touching.

All of these…_images_. They were like still shots in his mind—random things that his brain was conjuring. One of Lucy curling into a ball, her see-through shirt sticking to her back from sweat and showing the prominent curves of her hips, the rigid bumps of her spine and the dimples just above her rear. One of Lucy spread out, squirming, red-faced, and silently demanding for something with bare, flushed and glistening skin in the moonlight. One of Lucy looking straight into his eyes with an expression that he'd never seen her wear—eyes foggy, heated and wanting, plump lips silently moving, fingers and toes curling.

And…he felt sickened. _What was wrong with him?_ Why was he…? Of Lucy…? What did it mean? _What was going on?_

A strange noise met his ears then, interrupting his inner turmoil, and it sounded something akin to a grunt of surprise…and it had come from _him_. But he didn't raise his head, instead, he kept staring down at his hands—they were shaking, he noted—as if they would give him the answers he suddenly craved.

What kind of sick bastard _was_ he? Imagining his best friend and his partner like that? Sure, he'd occasionally thought about peeking at her when she showered, or when she changed; just a peek. But, that was just simple male curiosity—and he was usually foiled anyway, by fault of his own clumsiness, or due to Erza catching wind of his plans. But this…_this_ was an entirely different _level_. This was…it was sick and _wrong_, and he was terrible for even thinking up such degrading things. It made his stomach roll out of disgust for himself.

Then, there was a worried sigh. "You're looking quite green, my friend… Something the matter?" Galahad's voice was filled with fake concern that would have fooled anyone—even Natsu himself had he not known better.

"Lucy…" Natsu rasped, feeling his throat close and his mouth go dry at the thought of her name. His eyes darted to the door, and before Galahad could say anything else, provoke anything else, the dragonslayer was stalking away at a brisk pace. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.

What he needed right now, more than anything…was answers.

o0o

"So?" was the prompted question.

Lucy blinked, batting her eyelashes at her best friend without a clue as to what she was inferring about. "So…what?" the blonde asked, lifting a single brow curiously.

Levy, ever the impatient one, huffed, puffing out her cheeks in a childish manner, and crossed her arms over her small chest. The solid script mage was not amused. "Oh, you know what I'm talking about, Lu-chan! Come on…" Her swelled cheeks quickly flattened out into a more serious look, her small but shapely mouth pressed into a white line. "Have you been to the hospital yet?"

Lucy's usually warm and happy chocolate-colored eyes became duller as she looked down at her clasped hands. With a grimace, the celestial mage sank lower into her mattress, feeling the soft material of her comforter brush against the exposed skin of her lower thighs and calves. "No," she answered truthfully, refusing to look her very best friend in the eyes. "I haven't…"

Levy, sitting cross-legged on the floor, perched on Lucy's rug, let her firm lips fall into a frown and her amber eyes grew hooded. "Lu-chan…you have to go sooner or later. It isn't a good idea to put it off for so long. What if something happens?" the solid script mage asked as she twirled a lock of wavy blue hair around her slim index finger. It was a nervous habit, Lucy knew.

"I know, I know," the blonde sighed, "but I just… I can't… Going there would be like…"

_It would be like passing the point of no return. _

Even now, a week or so into this revelation, Lucy felt as though it were all just a really, _really_ bad joke, or even a bad dream. That she would wake up soon. That it wasn't real. But…going to the hospital, registering, and meeting a doctor, hearing a tiny heartbeat that wasn't her own…it would dash any and all hopes that everything was surreal. Going there would make her face reality, make her realize that, yes, _this was happening… _Whether she liked it or not, this was her reality now.

But, she didn't need to say any of this out loud, because Levy understood. Even without words, Levy always seemed to know what was wrong—and it made Lucy just a little bit happier to know that she had at least one person on her side, at least one person who understood her.

"How far along are you?" It was a swift change of topic—not completely straying from the path, but, enough to keep Lucy from thinking about the inevitable trip to the hospital.

The blonde sighed, her brows knitting together in thought. "If I've done my math right," she said slowly, unsurely. "I should be…" Slender fingers ticked up slowly, and Lucy mouthed the numbers silently to herself, stopping just short after ten. "I should be about ten or eleven weeks, which is two and a half, almost three, months…"

She and Natsu had had their drunken, unstable encounter back in early July. It was now the beginning of October… Had it really been that long ago? Had so much time passed already? It felt like just yesterday she had woken up to the sight of his naked body entangled with hers, his warm and comfortable heat seeping into her body.

As she sat on the bed, Lucy silently marveled the clarity in which she remembered the details of that morning. How his tough skin had felt underneath her palms, how his chest had risen and fallen in tempo with his heartbeat, how she had tucked her feet into his calves in response to the breeze that flittered through her window… She remembered it all. Even now, almost three months later, it was still sending chills down her spine, making her heart beat faster and it made the back of her neck feel strangely too hot.

"Hmm," Levy hummed, her bright eyes ever calculating. "Let's see… You and Natsu mated on, what was it? July twelfth? Give or take a few weeks for actual conception, that would place your due date at around…" The bookworm's eyes rolled up to the ceiling as she hastily counted down the months in her head. "Mid to late April, or even early May, I think," she said as she pressed a finger into her chin with thought. Then, she looked Lucy in the eye—taking note of the tense atmosphere—and grinned. "A spring baby, ne, Lu-chan?"

Lucy smiled softly as she looked down at her flat stomach. "Yeah, spring…"

It seemed so far away… After all, it was still just the middle of fall. There was still winter to get through, and then later, spring. So much time… So much time to get used to the idea of being a parent, she supposed. It would probably take all those months and then some to fully come to terms with it, but, she would need all the time she could get. And a dark part of her secretly wondered if she would ever be ready… Was she even fit to be a parent in the first place?

She had no stable source of income, no spouse or significant other to rely on, she didn't even own a house—she was renting an apartment. Granted, it was an expensive apartment that was worth as much as a small house, but still… She wasn't an adult. She hadn't finished growing up—she stilled wanted to be young and wild and free. She still wanted to do stupid things with her friends, get into trouble and then laugh about it later. She still wanted to laugh and smile with Natsu…

She didn't want her life to change!

"Ne…Levy-chan?" Lucy's voice was a small whisper in the day-lit room that smelled like flowers. "Am I…am I a horrible person for wishing that this baby didn't exist?"

The bluenette almost physically recoiled from the bitter question. Slowly, her eyes dragged from being fixated upon her own hands, to the form of her best friend, sitting, chewing her lip, on the edge of her frilly bed that suddenly seemed much too cheery for the atmosphere. Levy hesitated, her mouth opening before closing, and her eyes dropping back down.

"I…guess I am, right?" came Lucy's voice—small, feeble, quiet. Such a contrast to her usual demeanor. "I mean, what kind of person just simply wishes for a baby to not exist? It's so small, defenseless, tiny, and it's already a part of me…and yet, a disgusting part of me wants it to disappear…" She scoffed at herself, a sardonic, rueful tug at the corner of her lips that almost looked bitter. "It's like…I don't want it, but I do at the same time… Does that even make any sense?"

The bookworm, her fingers twiddling, searched for the right answer. Before now, she had considered herself very, very smart. She _knew_ she was smart—and some would have even called her a genius. But, now, she was rendered speechless; searching, groping and hoping for the right answers to just grace her tongue… It was such a strange, foreign feeling for her to not know something; and honestly, she didn't like it. Not one bit. It frustrated her beyond belief to not know something. But, here and now, there was no one way to know how to answer her friend's questions… For they weren't logical ones, they weren't made of facts or information… They dealt with emotion.

There was no one correct way to answer that sort of question.

"Lu-chan…while that baby is yours, it's also Natsu's. It's a part of the both of you, combined. So…theoretically speaking," and Levy knew this was a bit of a stretch, but she was trying, "that should mean that you should already love part of the child already, ne?"

At this, Lucy blinked and the bitter coldness that had rested on her face melted. Her eyes warmed, a soft smile curved her full lips, and her cheeks had that healthy rosy tint to them. She drummed her slender, pale fingers on the fabric of her shirt, just below her naval. "…You're right, Levy-chan."

This child, as much as it was hers, was also Natsu's. This was _Natsu's_ baby—it was a part of him. And though this child hadn't been conceived in the most predictable of ways, though this child's mother was a fumbling young adult, though this child's own father knew nothing of its existence…Lucy couldn't bring herself to hate it. She'd never hated it in the first place, she realized with a small sense of relief. She'd been mad, yes, but she'd been mad at _herself_. Frustrated with herself over the fact that things weren't going according to her plan.

_Selfish,_ the word rang in her mind, patronizing and condescending. And it was true—she'd been so very selfish, thinking of only herself and what _she_ wanted… She hadn't even thought twice about what the baby would want, or what it would need, or how it would feel. The thought saddened her. But it also steeled her resolve: she wasn't going to be selfish anymore. For once, she was going to act like an adult would.

It was then and there that Lucy made the decision that would change her life: she would love and care for this child, even if no one else did. She would give birth to it, raise it all on her own if she had to, because it would be depending on her. A little boy with pink hair, bright smile and warm eyes would be calling her 'mama' in due time—and she already loved him. Even though she hadn't met him, or even knew if he was a _he_ in the first place, she could just feel it in her very bones; that love. Was that what so many people called a mother's intuition?

"He'll be so cute…" she had said it aloud before she realized it. Promptly, her cheeks grew pink, and Levy, in response, let out a little tinkle of laughter.

"Just like his father, no?" the giggling solid script mage teased light-heartedly with a grin.

Lucy looked exceedingly embarrassed when she spluttered, "Levy-chan!"

"Alright, alright," Levy consented with a smile. Honestly, she felt much better now, having Lucy finally look lively again. She'd made her decision, and Levy was proud of her for that. Now, it was just a matter of breaking the ice, so to speak—now, Lucy just had to work up the courage to not only tell the guild, but Natsu as well. "Lu-chan," the bluenette started, "when are you going to tell everyone?"

Lucy's smile faded into a solemn look, and her eyes dulled again—the opposite reaction Levy had been hoping for. "I…don't know, Levy-chan. You keep asking me that question, and I think about it every day, but…I'm so…_scared_ to tell them… I don't want them to think any differently of me, I don't want them to pity me or look down on me either… Some of them might ostracize me because I'm…pregnant…" The word was hard for her to say, hard for her to admit.

"You know they would never," Levy insisted. "They're our guild, our _nakama_. They'll stand by you no matter what—they're our family."

And Lucy's smile began to return, though it was just a simple twitch of her upper lip. "Yeah, they're our family… But I'm still scared. Terrified, really. I mean, I don't think they would say it directly to my face, but what if they think…" But, she stopped short, her lips curling back.

Was she _really_ doubting her _nakama_? Was she _really_ doubting her own guild? Her own family, in a sense? She had to have more faith in her friends than that… After all, they had stayed by her side through good times and bad, right? This wasn't any different, technically.

"No, you're still right. They wouldn't," Lucy eventually said. "But, I still think I'll wait a while… Maybe next month? That should be around when I start showing, I think."

"And…" Levy piped in curiously, her tone lighter than air. "What about _you know who?_"

The celestial mage lifted a brow. _You know who?_ Obviously, it was in reference to Natsu—as evidenced by the sly, teasing grin Levy was wearing and the way she covered her mouth with her hand as if to prevent a laugh.

Lucy sighed. "…Not yet. Definitely not yet. I haven't…worked up enough guts to even bring up the subject. It makes me so nervous just to talk to him right now, and I don't think I would be able to handle his rejection if he, you know, decides that he…doesn't…" Lucy's voice grew softer and softer as she continued, a delicate frown morphing on her lips.

Her confidence was beginning to dwindle again at the mere mention of his name… Just thinking about telling him made her insides freeze and her hands turn numb.

"Lu-chan, he would never tell you to get rid of the baby!" Levy half-yelled. "Mou, you know he's not like that… In fact, I think he'll be very happy."

"You…really think so?" the blonde asked with downcast eyes.

"Absolutely." Levy nodded in confirmation, a sharp bob that emphasized her positive thoughts. "And I don't think the rest of the guild will be very surprised to know he's the father. The chemistry between you two has been off the charts lately, Lu-chan!"

"Off the…what?" Lucy stammered. "Hey, now… Don't go making stuff up like that. What chemistry?" She snorted with a simple shake of her head. Then, she coughed, in order to ward off the snicker that Levy was emitting, and changed the subject quickly. "A-anyway… I want something to eat. Ice cream sounds good right about now…" And here, Lucy's stomach growled accordingly as if cued. The celestial mage flushed, hands falling to her abdomen before adding, "Do you want some, too? I made sure to pick some up on the way home when I was getting the groceries."

Levy giggled again, a small chime of laughter that sounded like a bell. "Ice cream? Cravings getting to you yet, Lu-chan?"

"Hey!" the blonde shouted defensively as she rose from her bed and meandered to the door. "If you're going to make fun of me, then I'm not going to bring back any for you, I hope you know." The comment was smug, a bit sarcastic and very Lucy-like as she tilted her head to the side with a wink and a playful grin.

It made Levy smile warmly, a pleasant feeling settling in her chest. Finally, things were beginning to look up, it seemed. Lucy was reverting back to normal—she was smiling instead of crying and looking forward to the future instead of dreading each and every new morning.

"Anyway," Lucy said as she twisted the doorknob, "after we eat, I was thinking we could maybe do some shopping." She opened the door, looking back over her shoulder. "We could go pick out some clothes or," she turned back around, "some – "

Her grin—that happy grin that she had finally achieved after a few weeks of nothing but tears and sobbing—dropped as quickly as her blood froze. By her sides, her hands were clenched, and she, numbly, had to take a shaky step backwards. Eyes widening in fear, hands and legs shaking, the celestial mage found it was hard to swallow and even harder to look at the person in front of her.

_This couldn't be happening…_ There was _no way_ this was happening…

But, when Lucy's heart almost stopped and her stomach leapt up into her throat as the person in front of her took a small step forward, she knew it was really happening. The person standing in her doorway was really…Natsu.

He seemed equally numb, equally stunned as she. His face was blank, his mouth dropping open in silent shock, and he blinked his green eyes owlishly at her a few times. Repeatedly, his mouth opened before closing, as if he had something important to say, but decided against it in the last second. He honestly didn't know what to do…what to say…how to act… His heart, for some reason, was doing this strange…_lurching_-thing in his chest. It was painful. Exceedingly so.

"Ne, Lu-chan," Levy called from behind the two confronted teammates. "What's…?" And then the sold script mage's amber gaze travelled from the form of Lucy's quivering back, to the familiar figure of the dragonslayer standing before her, his stance slackened. At once, Levy's stomach flopped.

_Oh, no. Not now… Not here. Of all the times… Why now?_

"Oh…" was all that she could whisper.

The silence that filled the room seemed to last forever, the atmosphere growing tenser by the very second. Neither party in the doorway had expected this to play out as it had… Neither had expected this sort of confrontation.

Lucy hadn't been expecting that Natsu would know of her pregnancy by the end of the day. And similarly, Natsu hadn't known that he'd be discovering his teammate's deepest secret. He'd been wanting answers, he supposed with a sardonic taste in his mouth that made him cringe from the sharpness, but this was _not_ what he had been expecting. Not in the least. It did make sense, though, now that he looked back on it. Her behavior, her glowing appearance, her _scent_…

Just remembering the changes she had gone through in the past few months made his mouth run dry again. Her scent that he'd assumed to be perfume—of all things—had actually been the scent of her pregnancy… Lucy was pregnant. _His_ Lucy…was pregnant… And with some other man…

Natsu didn't know why the thought of that made his eyes burn and his heart constrict.

Finally, though, the silence was broken by a whispered and barely-audible question that fell from trembling lips, "How…much did you hear?" Tears were in Lucy's eyes, and she held her hands up to her chest before ducking her head in shame.

Natsu, startled at hearing her voice sound so…_terrified_ and undoubtedly smelling the scent of shame rolling off of her, had to lick his lips and especially think about his reply. "I didn't… Just the…last part… I mean, I… You… Luce, you're…pregnant?" It wasn't the answer he'd been searching for, but it was the only thing that was registering in his brain.

Lucy was pregnant… She was carrying a child inside of her… His best friend…

His said best friend ducked her head even further before nodding tremulously, her hands squeezing themselves as if she were trying to hold onto a lifeline of some sort. "I—I…am…" Again, her voice was small, so tiny that any normal person would have missed it.

But of course, he heard it as clear as day. And, for some reason that he didn't know, the confirmation felt like a knife twisting in his gut and ripping out his innards… It hurt. It…really…hurt. It hurt more than all of the times he had torn his body in battle, even more than the times that Erza had physically knocked him around. It hurt more than the time Igneel had left him.

Before Natsu knew what he was doing, he was turning around and stiffly walking away, hoping that he would be able to run away from this sudden pain that had exploded in his heart. In the back of his mind, the sound of wet hiccups registered, and he barely heard the sound of the door shutting behind him. He was numb to the world, now, walking like a lifeless corpse down the cobble-stone road with a blank gaze that would have had others staring. Only one questioned was in his reeling mind as he stumbled through the streets of Magnolia: why did he feel like crying?

After the door had slammed shut, Lucy sank to her knees, bowing her head. "He…knows…" The mother-to-be crumpled on the floor, hugging her own shoulders as they violently shook. "He knows…" Tears began leaking again from her eyes, dribbling down her cheeks and dripping onto the wooden floor of her bedroom.

She cried for hours that day.

* * *

**_And then Neena said...LET THERE BE DRAMA. And angst. Good stuff, that angst. Next time! Chapter 20: The Separation  
_**

**_Er, so, sorry about perverted-Natsu... He's not really trying to be a pervert, I promise. He's just having some unexplained flashbacks, which freaks him out a little. Also, please don't be hating on Natsu...he's just confused. Finding out that his most important person is suddenly changing can be a bit of a shock, you know? Otherwise, there's no way in his right mind that he would just up and leave like that... Again, don't be hating on him. I'm trying to make him a bit more realistic. On the brighter side, though...finally, a little Natsu vs Galahad action, ne? Been waiting for that, haven't you? I know I have...but just you wait...in later chapters, things will really start heating up! _**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED: _**_Toondoon, goichi, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, Dimondhearts, Pikas, pandasxpocky, TooLazyToLogIn, WolfGiflHowlsAtMoon, leoslady4ever, moulinrouge32, Guest, iscalda, ashlieswifty, KawaiiOdango, alexis17, Guest, courtneylynn, llulabell, inukagome9193, QueenOfTheives, NaLu, S4JM, shandulah84, KHLostEmpress, Dragonprincess.X, Cat Goliath, Kohryu, Reika Natsuki, TabsTeam, Disappear500, AngelsFairyTail, ghostbones, natsu, TheLostHope, KristyKakes, DWB321, Kuronekohimesama, GuiltyCrown09, dragoscilvio, LovingmyOTP's, Ryujin65_

**_P.S. guys, I'm changing the rating to M... some things in this chapter and in previous chapters (chapter 11, I believe) make me a little nervous...so, just on the safe side, the rating is going up. THERE WILL BE NO LEMONS. None. Just mature themes, a little bit of blood/gore, and whatnot (all the good stuffs). So, yep. Let me repeat that: rating is going up to M, but there will be NO lemons. So you can all calm down now :3_**

**_REVIEW!_**


	20. The Separation

_**Aha! The big 20! We've finally made it guys ;) This is the longest any of my stories have been, and I don't know if it's even halfway over yet... O.O Yay! And, I'm updating early in the morning...must be a sign of the apocalypse, I tell you. I'm never up this early on the weekend (I usually wake up at around noon and wait till two or three to become remotely active...) I'm so lazy most of the time. Anywhoser, I hope you enjoy my slightly-earlier-than-usual update!**_

_**OMG. 50+ reviews for the last chapter...if I could, I would kiss ya'll. Seriously. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO** __firekeytothegoldenlock **FOR BEING THE 550TH REVIEWER!**_

_**Now...read! And beware, this chapter features Gajeel at the end: aka, there will be swearing of the F-bomb kind. :)**  
_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Separation**_

* * *

Three weeks passed.

Three long, painful weeks. To Lucy, every moment had seemed to last a lifetime during the first few days. No matter what she'd been doing, her heart had been racing; her body shivering from chills that danced up her spine. It'd been torturous, that time. Constantly, she'd found herself biting her nails in anticipation, waiting for the resounding knocks on her door that signaled the arrival of her stunned _nakama_. Constantly, she'd found herself worrying that they would find her, question her, and…look down on her in a sort of awe and disgust.

She didn't want that.

But, the days passed. And, before she knew it, it had already been three weeks. She had rarely left her house, only opening the door to retrieve her mail, and for Levy who would go out and buy groceries so that Lucy didn't accidentally starve herself and the child inside her. It wasn't as though Lucy was forgetting to eat on purpose, really, it wasn't; rather, she would sit down and just think—about her life, her future, her past—and before she knew it, it would be well past lunch and dinner time. Thankfully, though, Levy made daily visits to make sure that Lucy ate healthily.

According to Levy, people at the guild were starting to worry… But Lucy waved this off, smiling, and encouraging her petit friend to return later that day and inform their guildmates that everything was perfectly fine—that Lucy was simply training; which, of course, was a lie. Another lie. It seemed that lately, the lies were piling up. Lucy felt that she was drowning in them, surrounded by them, suffocating from the need to confide in the truth with someone. And during these times, when Lucy felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't think anymore, she was thankful to have Levy around, because Levy listened. Levy understood, Levy cared, and Levy didn't shun… That was more than Lucy could ask for.

And as each day came to a close, with Levy's counseling and encouragement, Lucy found that she was coming to terms with this—with the idea of being a parent. Now, it was still a foreign concept. But, it wasn't as terrifying as it had been during the first week she had known. She still doubted herself plenty, but she no longer dreaded the idea of welcoming a child into the world—in fact, a little part of her was actually excited. She was going to be a mother; she was going to give life…

However, each time the word _mother_ crossed her mind, _father_ was not far behind. Each time those two words echoed in her mind, an answering pang sparked in her chest.

_Father…_

_Natsu…_

Another sharp pang.

The two terms were linkable now, as strange as the thought seemed to Lucy. And it was very strange, indeed, to think of Natsu—her teammate, her _nakama_, her best friend whom she was accustomed to seeing stuff his face, belch and scratch inappropriate places in public—as a father, of all things. It almost didn't seem possible. She knew for a fact that if and when the rest of Fairy Tail discovered her child's paternal heritage, they would question it not because they wouldn't believe her, but because nearly everyone suspected that Natsu was oblivious to feminine wiles…

This, she would not lie, almost amused her, almost made her break into giggling snorts. Almost.

But she couldn't laugh just yet, she couldn't relax just yet. There was still something weighing heavily on the back of her mind… Natsu. He was all she thought about, save the child in her stomach, from dusk until dawn these past few, straggling days. One, because of his extreme reaction to her pregnancy, and two, because he had left on a mission directly after discovering that Lucy was expecting. He'd left on a mission and hadn't returned yet.

Three weeks.

He'd been gone for three weeks.

Well, at least he wasn't alone—and this thought comforted Lucy somewhat. He had Happy with him, so she was sure that he would come back sooner or later as Happy would eventually demand to come home to Charle. But, when would that be? After a month? Two? Natsu had never been gone for so long before, at least, not without having some form of contact between him and the guild in case of emergency. But, according to Levy, he hadn't so much as sent a postcard back to the Master…or anyone, in that case. Not even Lisanna, whom he was very close to—almost as close as he was to Lucy.

Natsu Dragneel had basically dropped off the radar for three weeks.

That, Lucy and the rest of the guild knew, couldn't possibly be a good sign. Natsu never completely _disappeared_, ever. Even if he was supposedly incognito, he still managed to blow up a good half of a town, or set fire to some poor farmer's crops, or even round up his own angry mob, and somehow let the rest of the world know that he was Natsu Dragneel, _the greatest, most kick-ass mage in Fairy Tail who didn't give a damn!_

But, now, there was nothing. Not even a trickle of rumors, murmurs about a destructive youth plundering through some unfortunate town and cackling like a maniac while doing so. There was nothing. Nothing at all.

"Nothing," came the sigh as Lucy's front door shut.

The blonde herself was sitting on the couch, magazine in hand, and had been staring blankly at the wall in thought when Levy walked in with a disgruntled frown. Lucy lifted a brow questioningly, silently wondering if Levy was telepathic somehow.

"No mail," the bluenette clarified as she rounded the corner into the kitchen.

Lucy sighed. "Oh." Setting her magazine down, she rightened herself—pulling herself from lounging across the couch into a proper sitting position. She crossed her ankles. "Anything new at the guild today?" The question was asked nearly every day, and both had caught onto the second meaning with ease after the first few days.

_Any news on Natsu?_

From the kitchen, Levy hummed thoughtfully. "Hmm, no, not really. Just the same old stuff—everybody asking about you, wondering about Natsu, though, from what I hear, he should be coming back soon." The sound of opening cupboards met Lucy's ears then, and she realized that Levy was getting ready to make dinner.

Was it that time of the day already?

It felt as though she had just gotten out of bed and dressed herself a half hour ago…

"Oh!" Levy suddenly exclaimed then. "Oh, I can't believe I forgot…"

Now curious, Lucy rose from the couch, leaving behind the magazine that she hadn't bothered to actually read, and padded into the kitchen to join her best friend. "Forgot what?" she asked and watched Levy rub a hand across her tiny face.

"Oh, Lu-chan, I'm so stupid."

Lucy's brow crinkled. Levy, stupid? As if. That had to be some sort of paradox; the words _stupid_ and _Levy_ didn't even belong in the same sentence. Both of them knew that.

With a heavy sigh, the bluenette continued, "I don't know what I was thinking, but I didn't pick up the groceries to make dinner tonight… I even had the list with me!" Looking quite frazzled and apologetic, Levy closed her eyes and rapt a single, small knuckle on the side of her head. The action was supposed to look cute, Lucy realized, and then her brown eyes narrowed.

Levy never forgot anything. Ever. Forgetting things was the tiny mage's personal taboo, which was why she had so many books and notepads and generally wrote down everything important. She forgot to pick up the ingredients for dinner? Hah. Lucy knew better.

"Oh, really?" Lucy snorted, not buying her friend's act. "Whatever shall we do for dinner, then?" she dramatically questioned to the air, flamboyantly waving her hands around and turning in an arc.

"We could go to the guild," was Levy's innocent suggestion.

"Aha!" Lucy rounded on the solid script mage with a knowing look and a pointing finger. "I knew it, I'm onto you. Forgetting dinner, Levy-chan? Come on, I know you better than that," she mused dryly. "You just want to get me out of the house."

An exasperated splutter escaped the bluenette as she began to thickly protest with lowered eyebrows set over stern-looking eyes. "Lu-chan, I would never…" But, then she stopped, sighed, and shook her head. "Alright," she mumbled, nodding. "Alright, you caught me. But I really didn't pick up the groceries, you know."

"Why, Levy-chan? I'm not trying to sound ungrateful, because I really appreciate you being here for me for these past few weeks, but… You know I can't face our _nakama_ right now. I just…I mean, you say that Natsu, if he's even had the chance, hasn't said anything and that nobody else knows besides you and Gajeel, but…" Lucy had to bite her own tongue to keep herself from rambling any further. But it was nothing but the truth that had come from her mouth.

She wasn't ready to face her _nakama_ yet. As much as she'd been preparing for it, as much coaching as Levy had been putting her through, the thought was still…uncomfortable, at best, to Lucy. Back three weeks ago, she'd almost been ready…but then, Natsu had discovered her secret and his reaction had sent her back to start, back to the very beginning where she was resisting the urge to bite her fingernails in anxiety over the thought.

A soft sigh from the pixie-like girl drew Lucy's attention once again. "Lu-chan," Levy began slowly," it's been three weeks since anyone, save myself, has seen you… They're worried about you, and rightfully so. If it weren't for me, you probably would have wallowed into a pit of sorrow and despair and eventually starved yourself to death on accident." Her look was knowing, and there was a dry humor in her voice. "You should hear the gossip they're coming up with… New abusive boyfriend, another flu bug, embarrassing skin rash—it gets more interesting by the day."

At this, Lucy could only lower her eyes and nibble on her bottom lip. It was a half-guilty, half-submissive gesture that the blonde rarely let loose unless she was around either Levy or Natsu…

"And, it might just be me, but that Galahad guy has been asking about you the most I think," Levy continued thoughtfully and watching like a hawk when her friend suddenly tensed.

Lucy looked up. "He's been…asking about me?"

"Yeah, every time I make a trip to the guild. It's usually pretty subtle, bringing you up in the conversation so he can ask about you nonchalantly, 'Lucy's so dedicated to her training, isn't she?' or, 'I found an interesting celestial spirit key the other day…'. He's sly, that one."

Lucy wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel where Galahad was concerned. A part of her was flattered—because, _hello_, totally hot guy inquiring about her leave of absence!—but another part of her was almost…disappointed. She didn't know why, either. There was nothing really all that disappointing about having a friend worry about her; at least, there shouldn't have been. Maybe it was because…she hoped that Natsu would worry about her? Maybe…

"I think he likes you."

"Huh?" Lucy started, blinking owlishly. "Who?"

With an incredulous look, Levy said, "Galahad."

"Oh. Oh, him." Lucy snorted and shook her head as her eyes rolled up to the ceiling. "He's… I don't really know what to say about him. He's nice, or rather, I should say _charming_, but I doubt he seriously likes me, Levy-chan. He's way too self-serving."

The bluenette wrinkled her usually smooth forehead, a thin brow lifting elegantly in the process. "Well, if you say so…" Then, she coughed. "Now, then. Dinner?"

Lucy sighed.

o0o

"Oh, Lucy! Wow, a sight for sore eyes, ne? Where have you been these past few weeks? We were all starting to worry about you," Mira's sweet voice gushed as Lucy plopped down into a barstool with a semi-forced grin.

Lucy wasn't entirely sure what she had expected to see upon her nonchalant return to the guild, but, she had been welcomed as if she had never holed herself up in her apartment for nearly a whole month in the first place. People just smiled at her, said hello, and occasionally clapped her on the back. No one really questioned her, save for Mira—but, that was allowed seeing as she was, well, _Mira_—and everything just went back to the natural swing of things, everything was exceedingly normal. As normal as it could be, Lucy thought.

Except for the fact that Levy had ditched and run to the library on a last minute's notice—leaving one Lucy Heartfilia all alone. Lucy made a mental note to lecture her later.

"Oh, um, well, I've been renovating, redecorating, you know… Just getting ready for the winter season!" she replied cheerfully, her tight smile stretching into a much more relaxed grin. Because, at least, there was some truth in those words. She _had_ been doing some redecorating, reorganizing just to keep herself busy when she thought she would faint from a self-induced panic attack.

Mira turned around, reaching up to place down a now-clean mug on the shelf and hooking her drying rag over her shoulder. She smiled to herself, wiping her hands on her apron when she said, "Oh, that's nice. I'm sure Natsu will appreciate it when he gets back."

The comment, as small and meager as it _should_ have been, almost sent Lucy reeling backwards. Instead, she managed to snatch the very edge of the counter, squeeze it until her knuckles turned white, and let her face turn red up to the tips of her ears.

"Wh-what is that supposed to mean?" she spluttered.

"Hm?" Mira craned her silver head to look at Lucy. Blue eyes blinked innocently. "Nothing, really. Natsu just spends a lot of time at your place, especially during the winter since his house doesn't have a heater."

The celestial spirit mage shifted on her stool, legs crossing and re-crossing. "Oh," was all she said.

Natsu did tend to…_visit_ her more often during the winter, now that she thought about it. And, it was during the winter when he was most likely to snatch her bed for himself, she realized. Why she hadn't thought about this before was a mystery to her now, and suddenly, she felt…almost guilty for yelling at him so many times. He'd only sought out a source of heat and comfort since his house couldn't produce ample heat for him and his feline.

Then, it occurred to Lucy that Natsu was a dragonslayer. A _fire_ dragonslayer. He was his own heater.

She snorted. _Guilty feelings gone._

"Speaking of Natsu, though…" Mira's voice took on a tone that Lucy knew all too well. The blonde felt herself pale. "Have you heard anything from him lately? He's been gone for weeks and hasn't sent so much as a telegram, and there haven't been any angry council members here complaining about Fairy Tail's uncontrollable members." Bright blue eyes sparked in a suspiciously familiar way as the barista leaned across the countertop and braced her ample bosom on her crossed forearms. The look she wore was inquiring, but, almost anyone could catch the sharpness underneath the soft exterior.

Mira was plotting something. It was _that_ look.

"Um…" Lucy faltered as her eyes flicked around the room. "No…I haven't really heard anything from him…"

Why Mirajane assumed that he would contact _her_ and _not_ anyone else was a puzzle to Lucy. While they were supposedly close, they weren't _that_ close—at least, Lucy hadn't thought so. They definitely weren't right now though; he was probably hoping to avoid her, she knew, by taking that mission. Lucy found that she was somewhat fine with this. She didn't know what she would do when she saw him again, anyway…

"Speaking of that idiot, why'd he just up and leave like that in the first place?" a gruff, masculine voice that Lucy knew all too well asked casually.

She whirled to her right, an expression of shock on her features, to see Gray perched on the barstool directly next to her, missing his shirt as usual, with his bulging-with-muscle arms crossed. If he was trying to be intimidating, he was succeeding, Lucy thought as she strangled a gulp. "He's Natsu," she muttered, dropping his gaze. "Who knows what he's thinking…"

All this talk about Natsu…was starting to make her feel…_irritated_, of all things. She hadn't expected herself to feel irritated, not in the least. Uncomfortable, maybe, since she undoubtedly knew that people would be talking about him the minute she arrived. But, now, for whatever reason, she was starting to get a little annoyed. Natsu this, Natsu that…Natsu, Natsu, Natsu… She'd been thinking about nothing _but_ Natsu for the past three weeks!

_What's he doing? _

_Is he okay?_

_Does he hate me?_

_When is he coming back?_

"Ah, well, you know him best. We all figured that you would know what was going on in that stupid head of his," Gray mused rather dryly. Without another word, the ice mage began clawing at the collar of his shirt, pulling it and stretching it so that he could tug it over his head.

Lucy frowned, a bitter taste in her mouth. "I said I didn't know… I'm not his mother, his keeper, or even his girlfriend. Why do people keep on assuming that I know exactly what Natsu's thinking at exactly every moment of the day?" she groused lowly under her breath and crossed her arms. "If they're really that curious, then they should go ask him themselves."

Gray paused mid-stripping. He blinked.

"Uh…" Confused, the rival of the infamous Natsu Dragneel coughed, let his shirt limply fall back into place and fixed Lucy, who was pouting rather sourly, with a strange look. She usually wasn't this tart when it pertained to Natsu. "You alright, Lucy?" he questioned hesitantly.

In all his years of dealing with women, the question, _"Are you alright?"_ had proved to be the biggest mine field than any other phrase or question. It either led to the response of, _"I'm fine,"_ or the more typical, brash explosion of estrogen that left him cowering in the corner for a good fifteen minutes. And judging by the way that his blonde friend was suddenly acting—pouty, grumpy, her cheeks puffed out childishly and making her look a bit pudgier than usual—he was more than likely going to receive that dreaded feminine wave of pure hatred and malice.

"Just peachy," Lucy bit back.

From behind the bar, a worried, soft sigh sounded. "My, Lucy, you don't sound okay… What's the matter?" Mira murmured, that twinkle nearly smothered in her eyes.

"Ah," Gray said with a sigh before he could stop himself, "she's probably just grouchy because she's gained a little weight recently." And as soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back.

He wanted to take them back and then run for cover. Preferably in a nuclear-proof bomb shelter.

"…Gained weight, have I?"

Gray, in all of his masculine glory, felt himself growing paler by the very second and noticed that nervous sweat was beginning to pool at the nape of his neck. He gulped shakily, a timid chuckle escaping his mouth. Oh, Mavis, he couldn't believe he'd actually just said that… Weight, for women, was a taboo subject! He knew from experience, mostly due to Cana's drunk ramblings and Erza's random beatings, but he knew for a fact that bringing up the subject of one's weight around women was…not a very good idea, to say in the least. Most women weren't comfortable with their weight, he knew—very few of them had enough confidence to actually love their bodies completely. And while most people in Fiore would have assumed Lucy to be the latter type, she was, in fact, the former; just like any other insecure teenage girl out there.

"Well," Lucy snarled then, "I didn't realize that people were going to be judging me on my weight."

Gray wisely shrank back, but, rather unwisely, opened his mouth again. "Judging? We're not judging or anything… So what if you've gotten a bit chubby?"

He seriously wanted to slap himself.

"I haven't gotten chubby," Lucy hissed at him with narrowed brown eyes. Her full lips were pursed, shapely arms bridged over her seemingly-larger breasts, and her legs were crossed. It was very much the image of an angry woman barely holding herself back from launching into a blind fit of rage.

Mira chose then to interrupt with another delicate hum from her thinned-from-thinking, pale lips. "Well, you know, Lucy, Gray might actually be right… Of course, it may just be the fact that we haven't seen you in nearly a month, but, you do look a tiny bit heavier. Maybe it's your new clothes?"

_No,_ Lucy wanted to say, no it wasn't the clothes at all… The truth was that she _had_, actually, gained a little weight. Nothing but an innocent five pounds, but it was still enough for her friends to actually take notice of if they were truly paying attention. Her stomach hadn't started bulging yet—she checked every day, waiting for the tiniest bump to first appear—but underneath her chin had gotten just a little bit rounder and her butt, she swore, was bigger. Soon, she would be fighting to fit into her pants; a thought which made her groan.

"I haven't gained any weight," she denied stubbornly, shaking her head. "Now, if you'll excuse me," she pushed herself away from the bar, "I need to head home…forgot to water my plants."

Of course, they all knew she was lying. Lucy didn't exactly have any plants to speak of—she was terrible at gardening and always had been, unlike her late mother who had practically been an honorary garden fairy.

"Oh," Mira exclaimed, her mouth forming a nearly perfect 'o', "but I thought you came to eat dinner?"

Lucy flinched. "Uh, yeah, I'm not exactly hungry… Besides, according to _some people_," her eyes brazenly flashed to Gray, watching as he proceeded to squirm uncomfortably in his stool, "I should probably start watching my weight." With a tight smile and curt wave, she turned on her heel and bee-lined for the guild doors.

Thankfully, Galahad wasn't there to stop or distract her as he usually would have done.

However, when she reached the door, a meaty palm plonked down on her shoulder, weighing her down to the point that she sagged slightly under the weight. Lucy looked up in surprise, from the tanned, scarred hand on her shoulder, to the rippling arm embedded with glinting, metal studs, to the gruff face of Gajeel as he stared down at her. "Yo, Blondie," he grumped in his usual, low timbre that sent small children cowering.

"…Hi, Gajeel," Lucy said slowly, confused.

He'd never been the type to openly start a conversation—with anyone but Levy, anyway.

"Shrimp's been worried 'bout you lately," he said then, red eyes glowing. "Yer…fine and everything, right?"

"Honestly," the blonde huffed, blowing her bangs out of her face in the next moment. "I'm fine. Everyone is so concerned about me it seems; my weight, my appearance, my wellbeing. I'm fine. How many times do I have to say so?"

The iron dragonslayer blinked meticulously down at her, his upper lip twitching back. "Look, I ain't trying to pry or nothing," he defended with a glare.

"But you are," Lucy countered, a glare all her own.

"Shorty asked me 'bout you, asked me to look after you." Gajeel widened his stance and crossed his arms, playing the part of the rather intimidating male. "I'm just doing my job."

"Your job," Lucy snorted. "I see…I see. Worrying about me is simply just another job."

"Would you quit twisting my words, woman?" he snapped at her, irritated, his temper flaring momentarily. "_Fuck_, pregnant women drive me nuts—ain't no pleasing them. Shorty damn well better be grateful that I decided to do this."

Only then did one person of the feuding duo, Lucy, notice how eerily silent it was in the guild.

Lucy's face slowly slipped from anger to realization, and then finally, to horror. He'd…he'd just said…aloud…

"Gajeel," she whispered.

"What? Now yer feeling sorry? Dammit, I told her I couldn't handle pregnant women, they drive me up the wall. And if it ain't their moods, it's their smell… The smell of hormones ain't fucking pleasant, I'll tell you that right now."

"…Gajeel."

"You think I like dealing with all this? Dammit, being pregnant and all is a woman thing…as a man, I shouldn't been havin' to babysit you when Shorty ain't around."

"Gajeel!"

"What?" he finally groused, red eyes flickering.

Lucy looked up at him, and he smelled her tears before he saw them—her brown eyes were shimmering, turning red in the corners from gathering tears. She sniffled pitifully, bottom lip trembling, hands shaking. The water works were about to begin. Again.

…Fuck.

"…Ah, listen, Bunny-girl, I didn't really mean any of that…"

Dammit, when had he become such a softie?

"You," she said with a glint of betrayal in her watery eyes, "you weren't supposed to tell…"

"Hah?" Gajeel snorted. Tell? Tell who? Curiously, the dragonslayer peered over his shoulder, meeting the eyes of his stunned _nakama_. Feh. What were they all looking at? This was a private conversation between him and Blondie. They had no business sticking their noses in and listening to him rant about her being…pregnant. Red eyes widened. Oh. Realization came a split second later, and all he could do was curse; a growled, "…_Fuck_."

Lucy, her hands still shaking, abruptly turned and stormed out of the guild without looking back.

She knew she shouldn't have come for dinner.

* * *

_**Le sigh... Gajeel and his big mouth. Gray has a big mouth too, seriously needs to work on his skills with women... Next time! Chapter 21: The Return.**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED: **murphadoodle, nahadiba, firekeytothegoldenlock, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, Akane, WEE, Pikas, nessa, celestial spirit, TooLazyToLogIn, Doraguniru, pandasxpocky, Dimondhearts, Lucy Of Fairy Tail, courtneylynn, natsu, Guest, Aquesa, KinKitsune01, QueenOfTheives, AngelsFairyTail, xxJcc161xx, Disappear500, Wasabi-kun, KHLostEmpress, Minx The Shadow Thief, Ryujin65, GuiltyCrown09, Reika Natsuki, QueenP19, SORA-Koori-ryuu, shandulah84, Alice Harkey, ashlieswifty, cmr41789, 1fanofthemarauders, Plop, Mira-sans' helper, leoslady4ever, Kagome Juh, S4JM, LoveIsARose, KawaiiOdango, TVfreak7, Kohryu, KristyKakes, Person, Kuronekohimesama, Cat Goliath, LovingmyOTP's, The Keeper of Worlds  
_

**_So many of you reviewed that my poor, poor heart almost died on spot. Really. And so many of you left such long, wonderful reviews that I almost cried! I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate each and every single word that you write down! Reviews are voluntary (even though I nag you to do it lol), so the thought that you took the time to write one for me makes me feel special. _**

**_I love all of you :3 Virtual cookies for you all!_**

**_...Now you may review. Teehee._**


	21. The Return

_**Okay, so...Imma rant now. Any Young Justice fans out there? If so...may I please rant about my anger? Well. I'm going to, even if you said no. Beware: spoilers if you have not seen the last episode. **_

_***SPOILER *Okay so wtaf was with THAT SHIT? What. What? WHAT? They...I can't believe that they would... UGH. Thank you, Greg, for blowing up my ship. Into little bitty pieces, like the rest of my heart. Seriously, you ass. NOT COOL. You can't just go off and KILL my favorite character on some lame-ass excuse like that after he and the love of his life had JUST been reunited! NO. It was just too sudden, there was no proper built up, and hell, they didn't even get to say goodbye. THIS SUCKS. I shall obstinately believe that the last episode was just a very bad dream and that it NEVER HAPPENED. EVER. I shall continue to ship Spitfire, and Wally shall be alive. Forever. No room for argument. Period. *END SPOILER.* **_

_**Anyway...uhm...yeah. I've heard that there's no plans for a third season. But I'm telling you now...there BETTER be a third one. Because the ending of the second was absolutely crummy and it made me want to cry (and not in a good way).**_

_**My heart hurts now. But I guess that's what happens when your OTP is suddenly blown sky-high and back again.**_

_**On a better note...I heard that FT is simply going on break? I think it was on Mashima-sensei's twitter, he said that it would start up again in April, I believe; which is glorious. So, hopefully, I'll still have one thing to look forward to on the weekends, starting in April (LOK and FT :D) If anyone has further information on the matter, please, LET ME KNOW! :3**_

_**Enough of my ranting...read and enjoy, my lovelies~**_

_**Oh! And before I forget! SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO **__Aquesa __**FOR BEING THE 600TH REVIEWER! Over 600 reviews, guys! I can't believe this! Keep it up! **_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Return**_

* * *

As soon as the doors slammed shut in Lucy's wake, the entire guild erupted into a fit of voices and other noises. Stunned exclamations, startled murmurs, shocked gasps filled the smoky air of Fairy Tail and nearly everyone fixed their questioning gazes upon Gajeel, the equally stunned dragonslayer. Said stunned dragonslayer was frozen by the double doors, bulking muscles rigid, red eyes glazed over as he simply stared outward at the crowd.

"Gajeel, did you just say that…?"

"Is Lucy really…?"

"Is this a joke?"

The questions flew by him. He didn't know what to say, how to respond—which irked him more than it should have. He was a dragonslayer, dammit, good with his hands and not with his words. He'd messed up—he comprehended that much—and it was all because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Shrimp was going to bludgeon him with an encyclopedia.

She'd given him the secret of the year, asking him to hold his tongue, and he'd begrudgingly agreed…only to spoil it anyway with his brash temper. That in itself was enough to annoy him, the fact that he couldn't keep a secret even if he tried… She really was going to bludgeon him. He was counting on it as soon as the word spread—and undoubtedly, it would like a wildfire. But there was nothing he could do about it at this point, because no matter how much he denied it, no matter how hard Bunny-girl protested, the guild would be forever steadfast in the conclusion that Lucy was pregnant.

They were well past the point of no return now.

Erza was the fastest to recover and respond from the sudden news, her dark eyes flashing dangerously as a murderous aura enveloped her form. Her gloved hand twitched by her sword, mouth grating out through clenched teeth, "Who dared to violate her?" She dragged her gaze around the room.

Many men in the guild shrank back, feebly protesting. None of them were stupid enough to induce her wrath willingly… But, just as it seemed that Erza would fly into a rage in order to find and emasculate, whom she deemed, _the perpetrator_, there was a high-pitched squeal of what sounded like utter _delight_.

"Isn't that wonderful?"

It came from none other than Mirajane, behind the counter and holding her rag between clasped hands as she sighed dreamily. This exclamation, of course, induced silence from the entire rest of the guild as they all blinked at her, Erza included—she calmed briefly, much to the relief of the other members in the guild.

"Lucy's going to be a mother!" Mira elaborated happily with a large smile. "Isn't that amazing?"

Murmurs were exchanged again as people looked back and forth at each other, the initial shock wearing off. It was a good thing, most of them supposed. They were increasing the size of their family by one, and that could never be a bad thing, right? Plus, if the child had Lucy as its mother, there would be no doubt about its absolutely adorable appearance, boy or girl. Not to mention, there had been a shortage of guild-kids as of late—Asuka was the youngest at just eight and she was starting to get impatient with her parents' friends.

On more than one occasion, little Asuka had blatantly demanded couples in the guild to produce children; this was mostly because she wanted friends to play with. Either way, this was good news…for well, everyone.

Small trickles of laughter bubbled through the whispers of conversation. The trickles flowed into a steady stream, and then that stream gave way to an entire sea of smiles, grins, chuckles and happy shouts.

"That's awesome!"

"I'm so happy for her!"

"Oh, the baby'll be so cute!"

"The next generation, ne?"

"This is…" Erza started slowly, "…good for Lucy, it will help her mature."

"Oh, _hell_, I just called a pregnant girl _chubby_…" Gray moaned, his expression truly sour.

A breath escaped Gajeel and he closed his eyes, not realizing that he had been stifling his breathing in the first place. At least the guild was happy about it, he supposed, and not upset or disgusted like he knew Blondie feared. It only went to show that her fears were such meager things—worrying about the reaction of her own _nakama_. The thought almost made him scoff.

"Oh…but," came a voice then, full of honest-to-goodness curiosity, "who's the father, then?"

"She's not dating anyone," Gray announced from his spot at the bar as he tried to shake off the reality that pregnant women, when insulted, basically turned into beasts that ripped men apart. Unlike he had been just five minutes ago, he was now topless, his thumbs hooking themselves into the waistband of his trousers to pull them down.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Macao chuckled. "I think we all might have a guess as to who the father is…"

At this, Gajeel felt his spine stiffen. He suddenly felt a little cold, his hands a little clammy—the reaction was strange to him as he'd only ever reacted that way during an adrenaline rush. Anxiety, he named the feeling after twisting his mouth in mild distaste, was fixing its grip on him. Tightly.

Mira giggled, a twinkle in her eye as she finished wiping down another mug and placed it gently on the countertop. "Natsu, right?"

Noises of agreement flitted through Fairy Tail, some members nodding their heads at the prospect.

"He's really the only logical choice," Wakaba mused. "They spend so much time together, and according to our very own Mira-chan, he sneaks into Lucy's house on a regular basis." An eyebrow of his waggled suggestively as he blew out a long puff of smoke that curled into the air and vanished moments later.

"Yeah," Evergreen scoffed. "Those two are full of so much sexual tension that I was beginning to worry they might explode and jump each other in the guild." She made a huffing sound, her head of dirty-blonde curls shaking from side to side.

"Right?" Mirajane laughed, the sound a little tinkle that could have been mistaken for the giggle of a fairy.

From somewhere in the crowd came a strange sound, a grunt from the back of the throat. It was a sound that almost came off as doubtful, or dismissive. "I don't mean to burst your bubble, but, haven't the two of them been a little…strange lately?" Warren, it was, suggested hesitantly.

"Now that you mention it," Wendy's soft voice interjected, "I think the two of them might be fighting…" The little dragonslayer's face melted into a worried frown, her small lips turning downward, chocolate eyes dimming as little fingers began twiddling.

"Fighting?" Gray grumped. His pants were long gone by now as he leaned back against the bar, spreading his legs open for comfort as his sat on his seat. "They're always nit-picking at each other, that's nothing new."

The sky dragonslayer shook her head, blue locks flying this way and that. "No," she said. "I don't think it was a simple spat… I think they had a real fight… Before Natsu-san left, Lucy-san gave off this tense feeling, like she stressed about something… Maybe they've been fighting for a while and it got worse three weeks ago…" Her small hands started clenching together, anxiously twisting fingers in a nervous habit. "Maybe we just didn't notice…"

Looks were exchanged, some doubtful, others more believing.

"Well…it would explain Natsu's sudden need for isolation," Freed commented leisurely from his table that housed Evergreen, Bixlow, and Elfman.

"As it would Lucy's irritation on the subject of his disappearance," piped another guild member from the back.

Elfman, beside Evergreen with his bulking arm hooked around her petit waist, let out a sound of frustration, his dark eyes rolling. "Well, if Natsu isn't the man, then who is?" he demanded a bit impatiently. All this back and forth, wishy-washy nonsense irritated him; being wishy-washy wasn't being part of a man!

"Who else is Lucy particularly close to?"

Not even two seconds flashed by before there was a startled gasp from Mira, her hands clasping themselves over her heart as her face flushed. "_No_…" she whispered dramatically, eyes shining, sparkling, as if she had just discovered the single most juicy, scandalous gossip of the year. "No, that can't be…but it makes sense," the barista murmured to herself. Then, she squealed. "This…_development_," she sighed, "it's so fantastic!"

"_Hah?_ What development?" inquired Gray as he pinned the suspicious-acting girl with a hard, decisive stare.

"This love-triangle!" Mira giggled as her cheeks colored more.

"_Love-triangle?_" The ice mage wrinkled his nose in disgust at the term. It was a phrase he was all-too familiar with, unfortunately, as Mira and Erza had pointed out—on more than one occasion—his…_situation_ with Juvia and Lyon. According to the two women, he, himself, was currently in the middle of some messed up love-triangle-thing…

"Yes, yes, love-triangle." The barmaid smiled heartily. "Between Lucy, Natsu, and Galahad."

"…_Galahad?_" was Gray's only response.

A noncommittal grunt. "Well…he does talk about her a lot."

"I've heard that Galahad and Lucy have gone out on a few dates…"

"Have you seen the way he looks at Lucy?"

"Yeah, it should be a given then, ne?"

Nodding sagely, Mira continued with a grin. "The dashing new member sweeps our very own Lucy Heartfilia off her feet, wanting to whisk her away into the sunset... But, then there's Natsu, her closest friend with whom she shares a lot of her past with, who arrives on the scene… It's so…scandalous!"

A cough interrupted Mira's fantasy. "Maybe Galahad's the father?" Warren proposed.

"No, no way," Evergreen scoffed again. "Even if they're fighting, Natsu and Lucy are practically made for each other, it's ridiculous to even suggest something else." She whipped out her fan with a flick of her wrist, snorting her amusement behind it in a lady-like fashion as she fanned herself slowly, long eyelashes blinking and daring anyone to counter her.

"It's obvious that Galahad and Lucy have more chemistry," a brave soul said blandly, the voice sounding suspiciously like Bixlow.

"More chemistry, more chemistry, more chemistry!" And, of course, his babies.

Erza, then, flicked a long lock of crimson hair over her plated shoulder. "I beg to differ," she stated. "Natsu and Lucy are far more compatible." As much as the prospect of Natsu fathering a child with Lucy—_before_ they were married—irked the swordswoman, she could not argue this fact. Like Evergreen had stated, Natsu and Lucy were basically two halves of one whole; they fit together. Even if they were utterly oblivious to it.

"More compatible?" Gray snorted, being the only one brave, or stupid, enough to bat away Erza's opinion as though it were a mere fly. "That flame-brain is more compatible with a piece of toast," he snickered to himself.

Erza, as though she had been insulted, withdrew her sword.

"Now, now," Mirajane soothed, stepping out from around the bar with both hands held out. "Let's not fight, ne? How about we make bets instead?" In her eyes was the tell-tale twinkling that usually meant that a large, large bet was about to take place.

Casting glances at one another, eyes narrowing, the call was unanimous, "Bring it!"

Trotting behind the bar counter, her heels clicking against the wooden floor, Mira dug up her notebook, flipped to a fresh page, and then waved the rest of her guild over. Waving her hand enticingly, a bright smile on her pale, but beautiful face, Mira called, "Come place your bets! Who's the father of Lucy's baby? Natsu? Galahad? Or even someone else? Winners take all!"

She was swarmed instantly, many guild members raising their voices, pointing, dropping Jewels onto the counter as they pushed and shoved one another. It was as if they believed that the closer they got to Mirajane, the better chance they had at winning the pot. The pushing and shoving increased, toes were stepped on, and the volume in the beer hall skyrocketed so drastically that Gajeel, still standing by the doors, had the urge to wince. He stifled that urge, though, and instead, turned to leave—he had some explaining to do, and more than likely, Levy already knew what he had done.

Somehow, girls had the uncanny ability to relay information to each other without talking. It was freaky, in his opinion. But, before he could even touch the door, much less shove it open, it flung inwards at him, smacking him clean in the face.

"Gah!" With a shout, he was knocked back, holding the underside of his now red chin and rubbing it with a gruff, meaty hand. Gajeel glowered menacingly at the new, and obviously ignorant, arrival that paraded through the door. And once he recognized the idiot, his glare faltered.

"Oi! I'm back!"

"Aye!"

Natsu. It was _Natsu_. …And Happy.

Gajeel snarled lowly in the back of his throat, sounding almost animalistic. Great. Perfect. Just fucking _perfect_. He had to show up _now_, of all times, when the rest of the guild was taking bets on or against his pending fatherhood? If this situation got any worse, not only would the shrimp beat him with her books, she would lug his body into the woods and bury it…not that he would ever let her even attempt to do something like that to him, but still, the threat was very realistic.

In front of the three, Natsu, Gajeel, and Happy, if the cat was counted, the entire crowd quieted before craning their necks to peer at them incredulously. Stray Jewels clattered to the floor and countertop, now forgotten, as the near entirety of Fairy Tail openly gawked at Natsu, to which he cocked his head to the side with a confused frown.

Mira was the first to recover, snapping her bet-book shut and stuffing it under the counter with an easy smile. "Natsu!" she exclaimed. "Welcome back, you've been gone for so long! Master was starting to worry about you, you know."

His signature grin stretched across his face as he reached up with a calloused hand to ruffle his dirty, caked-with-mud hair and fling it out of his eyes—it had gotten a bit longer during his short absence. Now that the people in the beer hall were paying attention to not only his presence, but his attire as well, his full appearance began to sink in…and by the heavens, was he _filthy!_ The prodigal dragonslayer was covered from head to toe in dirt and grime, cuts and scrapes and bruises littering his arms, neck, face and legs as if he had taken a tumble through a thrush or two…or ten. His trousers were torn, in tatters from his knees down, and both of his overcoat sleeves were missing with a giant, gaping hole in the center. And yet, in all his disheveled state…he'd somehow managed to keep his sandals in mint condition.

His cat was in no better condition. Happy's blue fur almost looked grey due to the amount of dirt in his coat, and patches of said grey-blue fur clumped together in places like he'd rolled around in the garbage and hadn't bothered to bathe afterwards.

Natsu, feeling all the stares he was receiving, rocked back on his heels. "Ah? As if Happy and I couldn't take care of an army of Balkans on our own," he said, shrugging. Then, his eyes darted to the crowd and to Mira, taking note of the suspicious way the majority of the lot was eyeing him…as if they were trying to discern some sort of secret from him without being too obvious about it. "Watcha guys doing?" the fire mage asked curiously.

"Nothing, nothing," Mira assured him hurriedly. "Come and sit down, you and Happy must be starving, ne?" She leaned over the counter to pat a barstool enticingly, a warm, welcoming and inviting look on her sweet face.

The look was familiar to Elfman, standing off to the left now; he knew it was the look she used when she wanted a patron or other customer to suddenly forget about a question they had asked.

It was a damned good tactic too, Elfman thought. It worked on men quite well.

"Hell yeah!" the dragonslayer howled brashly, a smile cracking on his dried lips.

Behind him, Happy let out an equally ecstatic cheer of, "Aye, sir!" and leapt into the air, his white wings fluttering.

"Bring on the food!" Natsu held both hands up into the air, fists clenched, and dashed to the bar with thundering footsteps that were loud enough to wake and revive the deceased. "So, what's new?" he asked simply, resisting the urge to kick his feet up onto the counter—Mira hated when he did that.

Before anyone else could reply, Bixlow cut in. "Oi, oi," his low-pitched voice rumbled like a languid roll of thunder, "haven't you heard? About Lucy?"

"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy!" his dolls chanted.

As Mirajane set down a piping hot plate of what looked like chicken legs, potatoes, corn, a slab of beef and a few sides of bacon, Natsu immediately began stuffing his mouth. He managed to fit nearly an entire chicken leg inside his mouth without gagging before he turned to Bixlow with a quirked brow. "Lucy?" he mumbled around his food, though it came out more like, _"Rufi?"_

"Yeah, yeah." Bixlow let loose a long, low whistle, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Many of the other guild members close to the bar cringed—it was kind of gross, in the majority's opinion. "She's knocked up, man. Having a brat, you know?"

"A brat, a brat, a brat!"

Many people froze at this, their eyes widening—whether or not the subject of a pregnant Lucy was taboo or not for her very male best friend was still unknown to them; they were in uncharted waters, and seeing as Natsu had a tendency to be unpredictable…well… Seated at the bar, Natsu suddenly set down his plate, hiding his face from the rest of the guild as he looked down into his food—anyone could see that his back muscles were straining against the torn fabric of his overcoat, and his hands, though only those closest to him could see, were clenching. He was…unreadable, and that fact was a little troubling seeing as he valued Lucy more highly than anyone else.

"Oi, now, you gossip monger!" Macao called, his tone berating.

"Well she is," Bixlow defended. "I ain't gonna lie or nothing—he asked what's new, that's certainly new." And he laughed, the sound a mad cackle.

"Lucy's…having a baby?" the question was spoken softly, and many were surprised to find that the great Natsu Dragneel even had a soft voice that he could use. Usually, he much preferred his loud, cheeky and audacious way of speaking to people.

"U-um, Natsu-san," Wendy said, popping up next to her fellow dragonslayer with a nervous smile. "We just found out, she left a little while ago…" She pointed to the doors, as if asking him if he wanted to track his blonde teammate down or something.

But, then Natsu rounded on her with…a smile? His grin was electrifying, lighting up his entire face as it nearly stretched from ear to ear, his incisors showing. Though he was very obviously tired, his tanned face was alight, practically glowing. "That's awesome!"

"…Eh?" Macao's drink threatened to fall from his tight hands. "Awesome?" he echoed in disbelief.

"Yeah!" Natsu nodded. "I'm going to have to find her and congratulate her, ne, Happy?" he asked as he turned to his hovering Exceed, who flapped his wings excitedly.

Happy kneaded his paws in the air. "Ay, sir! We have to make sure that the baby doesn't turn out weird, like Lucy," the cat sniggered into a furry, dirty paw.

The comment brought forth and unleashed a set of snorting laughs from Natsu as he rocked back in his chair, only to nearly choke on his food. He spluttered a few times, pounding on his chest with a fist, before gasping and then laughing once again. He looked so…normal, like he always did, as if the news hadn't even fazed him. And this fact worried a few people in the guild, namely Erza and Gray as they knew the dragonslayer the best. Both knew that he should have had some other reaction, _should_ have been a little shocked, _should_ have been a little more curious, and should _not_ have been as easy-going as he appeared…

There was something wrong with him.

A good distance from the bar, Erza sat with a small plate of strawberry tarts, a frown on her face. She picked up a single tart, popped it into her mouth, and catching the gaze of Gray, waved him over. She needed to know if she was the only one who found Natsu's behavior suspicious.

"What's up, Erza?" Gray asked, meandering over.

The female knight held out a hand, motioning for him to sit down. Her voice was low when she said, "Natsu's behavior is strange."

Gray blinked, settling into a seat quietly with an unreadable expression. "Ah, you thought so too?" Dark eyes travelled back to the bar where the subject of their conversation sat, cramming his face, laughing with the rest of the guild who didn't seem to suspect a thing.

Gray frowned, the look not going unnoticed by Erza as she cleared another sweet tart from her plate. She felt more confident now in her suspicion that there was something very wrong with Natsu Dragneel…very wrong indeed. And the source of it, Erza and Gray both knew, was a certain celestial spirit mage.

* * *

_**Natsu's back! But he's acting too cheery? And bets are being placed! Next time, chapter 22: The Admission!**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:**__blue, native-soul, KILL, Loulla, Sunny Mars, TLTLI, , hcs5059, Soul Hunt, courtneylynn222, natsu, Aquesa, SeraphChimera, nessa, xxJcc161xx, KHLostEmpress, Reika Natsuki, Ryujin65, Minx The Shadow Thief, Kohryu, Guest, Wasabi-kun, black thorn angel, pandasxpocky, S4JM, TabsTeam, Akane, sai ninja, KawaiiOdango, AngelsFairyTail, Pikas, SunsetRika, Cat Goliath, celestial spirit, xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx, DeathBerryLover1995, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, ashlieswifty, Flaming Beauty, .0611, cmr41798, Disappear500, firekeytothegoldenlock, GuiltyCrown09, Lucy Of Fairy Tail, Alice Harkey, bob3012, Kagome Juh, The Keeper of Worlds, SORA-Koori-ryuu, Person, Mira-sans' helper, QueenP19, leoslady4ever, TheLostHope, Laraemi, NonieBee, LovingmyOTP's _

_**Virtual kisses and hugs to all of you. You guys make my day, I hope you know that!**_

_**So, now...REVIEW.** _


	22. The Admission

_**Omg you guys, that last chapter in FT 324... I know it was supposed to be, like, sad and whatnot...but my shipper heart was just like, "YES! HE CARES ENOUGH TO SHED TEARS!" So excited for the next chapter. Your have no idea! Ugh. Natsu and Lucy SO need to kiss soon. Like, forreal. Kiss away all that angst and sorrow and kick F!Rogue's ass into next week. Even if he got seriously hot. O.O Ahem.**_

_**SPECIAL SHOUT OUT**__** TO **__courtneylynn222 __**FOR BEING 650TH REVIEWER! Almost to 700! Wah! Can't believe it. It seems like every chapter I gush about the amount of reviews I recieve. Well, I do it because I love all of you. Dearly.**_

_**Also, I may or may not update next week. It's up in the air right now. My younger sister turns 3 next Sunday (she makes me feel so OLD.) so I'll probably be dressing up as a princess for her entertainment all day. Le sigh. Such is the life of an older sister I suppose. That, and I also have a bit of writer's block it seems. I've mapped out the story, so I know what's supposed to happen in which chapters, but writing it down in lengthy detail is the hard part... So depending on what happens, I might not update D: My deepest apologies if that happens!**_

_**Anyway, read on! And enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Admission**_

* * *

A violent, spasm of heaving sent the contents of Lucy's lunch hurtling into her porcelain toilet bowl with an ungraceful groan on her part. The regurgitated food tasted sour and bitter in her mouth, her tongue burning from the mixed-in bile. She macked her dry lips, spitting into the toilet after swishing her tongue around in her mouth. "Ugh," she moaned. "You're my only friend, toilet bowl, thank you…"

Lucy rested her too-hot and sweaty forehead against the pleasantly cold bowl. Her stomach was still rolling uncomfortably, she weakly thought with a grimace, even though she had spent nearly twenty minutes bowing to her new best friend—the wonderful, lovely, chilly-feeling toilet.

"The only source of stability in my life…my toilet," the once-heiress rasped and closed her eyes, a crinkle forming in her brow.

There was nothing left in her stomach for her to heave up, she knew, but still, her body insisted on putting her through the relatively painful and disgusting process that was morning sickness. How she now _loathed_ that term. It wasn't even morning anymore! It was well past lunch. In fact, whenever she greeted her toilet bowl, it was hardly _ever_ morning—it tended to be around noontime, or if she smelled fish; for some reason, the scent of fish really made her nauseas. Not only fish, but even some of her favorite foods, like yogurt, had her either cringing or running to the bathroom… It was infuriating, to say in the least.

As of right now, she couldn't drink orange juice, couldn't eat yogurt, fish, mustard, pickles—or any combination thereof—and she most certainly couldn't breathe in the scent of garlic. All of those foods made her feel sick to her stomach in one way or another. She could, however, stomach the combination of ice-cream topped with soy sauce and gummy bears… Just the sound of it _should_ have made her shudder, but, it didn't for whatever reason.

And, actually, it was making her a bit hungry…despite her raunchy vomiting episode.

With a bedraggled sigh, Lucy leaned backwards on her heels, still crouching in a squatting position, and flushed her toilet. Time to move on. Though, more than likely, she would be back in roughly three hours, repeating the whole process.

Grumpily, the blonde stood upright and snatched her toothbrush before turning on the faucet, eyes never once lifting up higher that the bowl of the sink. She refused to look at herself in the mirror, knowing that her hair would be a gnarly, mangled mess and that her skin would look clammy and oily from not having washed properly that day—she really hated knowing that she looked like utter crap. But, she just couldn't bring herself to shower; she was feeling far too lazy today. All she wanted to do today was sit around, read, and snack here and there.

Procrastination at its best. It seemed to intensify when she was pregnant.

At least she was brushing her teeth, she though wryly. Although, Lucy honestly doubted that she would be able to vomit and then _not_ brush her teeth, whatever the circumstances.

Vigorously, she scrubbed her off-white teeth until she had successfully made herself gag twice by brushing too far down on her tongue and until she thought she would make her gums bleed from too much friction. A distant part of her mind was thankful that she could still stand the scent and taste of mint, because it was the only flavor she used—none of that bubblegum, sugary-sweet stuff, or even the cinnamon, spicy kind. She didn't like spicy things anyway. Mint was perfect, had just the right balance, and left behind that pleasant tingle she enjoyed.

Lucy spat the lather into the sink. Then, eyeing the toothpaste briefly again, she snatched it and squirted another good-sized amount on the head of her toothbrush. She wanted every last trace gone.

Before she could complete round two of germ-blasting, there was a knock at her door. It was probably Levy, she mused absentmindedly to herself, and she promptly left the bathroom with her toothbrush still in her mouth. Lucy greeted her friend that way, opening the door with one hand, the other still languidly brushing her top teeth.

"Hey, Levy-chan…"

Lucy paused with a startled gasp, letting her toothbrush hang limply in her mouth.

Well, this situation would have been fine if _Levy_ were at her door, she thought. The only problem was that the person in her doorway was in no way, shape, or form the petit solid script mage. In fact, the person standing in front of her was a rather large, but still slender, _male_ holding what appeared to be a bouquet of flowers in his tanned, broad hands. Smirking, the man flicked a lock of bleach-white hair away from his eyes that were a glimmering sarsaparilla-shade of green. Those eyes that held so much amusement, that smirk that curved perfectly, that white hair…

_Galahad_. Galahad was at her doorstep…and with…_flowers?_

"You haven't forgotten my face already, have you, Lucy?"

She blinked dumbly at him, not quite sure what to say. She was rather…_underdressed_ for company at the moment—in fact; the only person who was even _remotely_ _allowed_ to see her in such a state was Levy, because she had best friend privileges. The blonde was clad in only her miniscule night shorts and a revealing tank top…_without_ her bra, she mentally added with a squeak and a flush. Her hair was in no better condition, being tied up in a ratty knot on top of her head to keep it out of her face. And then there was the added factor of her unwashed face, foam at the corners of her mouth, and her toothbrush still dangling from her lips.

She was sure she looked positively _atrocious_. Like a frumpy old cat-lady who spent too much time poring over her adult novellas.

Embarrassed, and realizing that he had asked a question, Lucy shook her head, yanking her toothbrush out of her mouth before crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn't believe she'd taken the risk of _opening her door_, where the public awaited outside, _without her bra on_… That was like, number one on any sane girl's list of _Top Ten No-No's_. "Wh-what are you _doing_ here?" she squealed.

He only chuckled at her, his eyes briefly closing before saying, "May I come in?" nonchalantly, as if this were a common occurrence.

"I—I… You… I mean, uh, sure?" Rambling, she stepped aside, arms still folded as she fixated her gaze on the floor. The floor was very interesting; she had a nice floor… Why hadn't she noticed before?

"I brought these for you," Galahad announced, closing the door behind him.

Lucy didn't need to look up in order to know that he was talking about the flowers. From the short time that she'd actually paid them attention, she'd seen daisies, daffodils and what suspiciously had looked like a single rose all rapped together in decorative, crinkly wrappings and ribbons. "Oh…um, thanks," she mumbled, still refusing to lift her gaze from the floorboards.

There was a hefty sigh then. "Aren't you going to look at me so I can congratulate you properly?" His tone, though it was clear of irritation, held a snarky undercurrent to it; his true nature. Following his question were light footsteps, by the sound of which, Lucy could tell he hadn't removed his shoes. Proven correctly not a moment later as boot-clad feet peaked into her view, Lucy barley contained a huff. "Are you embarrassed? Is that it?"

She almost flinched, more from shock that he had hit the nail right on the head than anything else. Of _course_ she was embarrassed! There was a man in her house, looking like he had just stepped off the runway, completely with flowers, and here she was…looking like a scraggly, introverted bum. Lucy snorted and her hand tightened around her toothbrush.

"I…just wasn't expecting company, that's all." She turned on her heel, spinning, and stalked over to the kitchen sink so that she could hopefully rinse away the remaining toothpaste from her mouth.

A smooth, lazy chuckle came from behind her as she started the tap. "I can see that."

The celestial spirit mage rolled her eyes, letting them drift up to her ceiling, as she rinsed her toothbrush, thumbing the head and running over the bristles repeatedly. Cupping her hands afterwards, Lucy brought a good amount of water up to her lips, swished, gargled, and then swished again. She spat the runny mixture in the sink before turned it off, eyes dragging to the side where the stove was. And there, they stilled, her hands resting on the knobs of the faucet handles. A fresh coat of paint on the wall behind the stove met her eyes, looking new and wonderful…but behind it, she knew there were scorch marks.

She remembered that day clearly, though it seemed like a lifetime ago…

Waking up to the smell of thick smoke, hearing frantic shouts in her kitchen from a man and his flying cat, seeing the burn marks along her walls…and most importantly, seeing the smile of the perpetrator after he had painstakingly scrubbed her kitchen spotless all day long. It was just a few months ago, but it felt like longer, like a lifetime… When had she last seen him smile like that?

Lucy shook her head. "Sorry about the mess," she called over her shoulder as she reached for a towel to wipe her mouth with. "If I had known you were coming I would have cleaned up a little."

Both knew that while she meant the apartment, she also meant herself. Frumpy old cat-lady indeed.

"It's more than fine," Galahad said, seating himself on her couch, "I like to surprise you."

This time, Lucy turned around fully, making eye contact and then fixing her sights on the bouquet of flowers that he still had in his hands. "I can see that," she mused, repeating his own words as she folded the towel and then put it back onto the kitchen counter. "You…" the blonde started slowly. "You came here for a reason?"

Galahad's eyes did that sparkling-thing again as he smiled at her charmingly. "Ah, yes, I came here to congratulate you." As if to vouch for his statement, he held up the flowers much like someone would present a trophy.

They were lovely flowers, she thought absentmindedly. And now that she took a closer look at them, she realized that yes, they were indeed daisies, daffodils and a single rose…her favorite flowers. In the correct order too; daisies were her top favorite, followed closely by daffodils, and then roses, she thought, were always nice… But…how did he know that? He knew her favorite flowers just like he knew her favorite restaurant…

"Thank you," was all that she could bring herself to say as she emerged from the kitchen and joined him in the living room. Other than that, she really didn't know what else to say… "Hey, how do you know my favorite things? Do you stalk me?" didn't quite seem like the right approach—it was brash, crude and definitely a tactic that Natsu would have used.

She wasn't Natsu. Actually, she was supposed to be avoiding all thoughts concerning the particular dragonslayer.

"You're wondering how I know so much about you."

It wasn't a question—it was a statement. A very true statement at that.

Lucy, her eyes alight with wariness, shrugged, sitting down in a chair directly across from Galahad. "Maybe," she answered.

"You're curious," he continued knowingly.

She was curious. Very curious, actually. How did he know so much about her? Why had he approached her in the first place? What made her so special? There were so many questions bubbling up on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't want to seem too eager so she bit her lip to keep herself from saying anything.

His alluring green eyes closed themselves as he inhaled deeply, a sudden solemn aura overtaking to atmosphere. "Would you…like to know?" When he reopened his eyes, gone was the mischievousness, arrogance, and general sultriness that was usually there, and instead, there was… chilling coldness, hardness, and seriousness. His usually curved mouth was flat, a thin line, and now he didn't bother flicking his hair out of his eyes.

Lucy felt herself shivering. This wasn't the Galahad she knew…this was a different person, she could tell just by the atmosphere. Who was he? Her heart lurched, wanting to know. "…Yes," she whispered.

He let loose a long breath. "It started a long while ago, back when things made sense and Fiore was peaceful. Around that time, I was a kid, not even into puberty yet, with dreams as big as the next child's. I lived with my parents, my older brother, and the family dog on Mount Hakobe."

_Mount Hakobe…_ The name sent a rush of nostalgia through Lucy, memories flooding to the front of her mind. Stumbling through the biting cold, being captured by a lecherous Balkan, Natsu rescuing her, both of them rescuing and treating a severely wounded Macao… One of their first missions together. It was…so long ago, she realized now. To her, it felt like it had only been two or three years—but, in reality, it had been nine…almost _ten_. Such a long time… Where did the time go?

"It was in the middle of the summer," Galahad continued, "but, for us, it still felt like winter. One of the biggest storms of the decade rolled in, and everything was buried for months on end, we couldn't get to the market to buy food, or chop wood to make a fire… To make matters worse, there was even an infestation of Balkans…"

Lucy remembered. Macao had been called in to exterminate them, and he'd killed nineteen before being taken over by the twentieth.

The dream caster let out a harsh chuckle. "My parents thought it was over for us, told my older brother to prepare for the worst, and then told me, as I was the youngest, to not worry… As the days passed and the nights got colder, my parents grew weary, they stopped smiling. Only my older brother smiled, and it was for me, I knew. We were snowed in, couldn't open the door, and we were steadily running out of food and water… My mother was about to give up, as was my father…but…" Here, Galahad's dulled eyes sparked—but not with vanity, rather, with…something else. Hope, was it? "Then there came this team from a guild I'd heard about in magazines… _Fairy Tail_."

Lucy's heart began hammering in her chest.

"It was a small team of only three, two men and a woman, but they somehow managed to clear the entire mountain of the Balkans. Not only that, but in their fight, they managed to loosen the snow, creating a few mini-avalanches, which freed my family. I was so grateful to them. In fact, I chased after them to the edge of the mountain, hoping to thank them in person, but…they were long gone already. I did, however, manage to catch sight of the woman… Beautiful, with golden hair, keys that jingled on her belt and what looked like a stamp on her right hand…"

In her ribcage, her heart was thundering, sounding like a parade of galloping horses, and her breath caught in her throat.

That familiar smirk of his was back when he said, "After snatching up every magazine I could find I discovered the girl's name by matching her appearance to a picture I found. Lucy Heartfilia."

"…_Me?_" Her voice was a squeak.

"You," Galahad tittered lowly, languidly, the single word rolling off his tongue as his eyes found hers—they were glimmering again. "From that point on, I was obsessed with you: I collected all of the pictures I could find, read every single one of your interviews, researched everything about you… My new dream was to meet you in person, see you face to face."

A fan, she recalled him saying. She'd had a fan and hadn't ever known it.

"To do that, I needed to buy my own train ticket down to Magnolia, so I worked hard every day, saving up what little I could manage. After about eight months, I finally had enough money to travel…and then I found out that most everyone in Fairy Tail, including you, had been trapped on the sunken Tenroujima. I was told they were gone. Forever." Flicking a lock of hair away from his eyes, that still seemed to sparkle; he drew on an impassive look that unnerved Lucy. He was completely emotionless. "Naturally, I was destroyed. My idol, my first love, had died before I'd even had the chance to speak to her."

The weight of his words settled like heavy boulders in the otherwise silent living room. _My idol, my first love… _A pang of sympathy—at least, that was what she thought it was—shot through Lucy's heart, which was still beating at the speed of a hummingbird's wings.

"Years passed, seven, to be exact, and I'd nearly forgotten about you. Until the day that Tenroujima rose. I don't think I've ever felt so…happy in my life. I didn't want to miss that opportunity for a second time, so I started saving money again—unfortunately, the only suitable job I could find was as a host; a lot of women in the mountains have a strange fetish for young, teenage boys. It took longer this time, a few years, because not only did I plan to buy a train ticket, I planned to leave Mount Hakobe for good, start a new life in Magnolia, and join the guild that I'd idolized as a child. I planned on meeting you, finally, and telling you this…"

As he leaned forward, his bouquet held out again, head lowered in a rare sign of submission, Lucy gulped and leaned backwards in her chair. Her body felt numb. Was he…was he planning on…?

"Lucy Heartfilia, I'm in love with you."

Oh, Mavis. He _was_…he _did_…he'd just…_confessed_ to her, of all things. Galahad Finnick, the pompous, vain, self-important man who'd barged into her life not but four or five months ago, had just told her…that he _loved_ her. What was she supposed to do now? She'd had her fair share of confessions—they'd been easy to turn down as most of them had been from lecherous, older men that Natsu had nearly burnt to a crisp for her—but…none of them had been anything like this. How could she turn him down now?

Trapped, Lucy gnawed on her bottom lip, rubbing her front teeth over the plump piece of flesh. Her hands were shaking when she said, unsurely, "Galahad, I… I mean…"

But before she could even finish, he was picking his head back up, an enigmatic smile on his face. "It's him, isn't it?"

"…_Him?_" Lucy repeated, her tone inquiring.

"The father of your child," he clarified, pointing a nonchalant finger at her stomach. When she said nothing to this, only looked down at her hands with hooded eyes, he continued, "I expected nothing less. You're loyal, it's one of the things I admire about you."

Her face was flushing, she knew; she could feel the heat creeping down her neck and up to the tips of her ears. He was complimenting her—not in the way he usually did, robotically, in a trained manner that he had grown accustomed to using as a host, but _truly_ complimenting her. She would have been lying to herself if she'd said the praise wasn't nice. "Um, thank you…I guess."

"Ah, now that I'm on the subject… Congratulations." He pushed the flowers into her arms, the translucent paper crackling like a bag of chips, and smiled at her. "Don't look so confused," he told her after taking note of her bewildered expression. "As I said, I'm in love with you—all of you, which includes the decisions you make. The fact that you're having a child means little difference to me. If you're happy, then I am happy for you."

Lucy honestly didn't know what to say to that. She was utterly speechless. It seemed like a hobby of his, she though faintly, to stun her to the point that she just couldn't form a proper and intelligent response.

"Of course," and his voice dropped as he stood, brushing off his cargo pants while heading to the door, "that doesn't mean that I plan on giving up on you so easily. Mark my words, Lucy Heartfilia, I plan on making you fall in love with me—and I won't stop until I've done just that." Galahad flashed her an all too familiar cocky smirk, jade eyes winking in the afternoon light, and opened the door just a crack. "Oh, and the real reason I came here—while I wanted to congratulate you—was to tell you that Mira-san and the other girls at the guild are anxiously waiting for you to come back. They're worried about you." Opening the door fully, he eased himself outside, waving, and saying sweetly, cajolingly, "Good night, Lucy."

He shut the door.

And Lucy, meanwhile, still sat frozen in her plush chair with the bouquet of flowers in her arms.

_What…had just happened?_

* * *

**_And we get insight on Galahad's past! And he confesses to Lucy?! What?! Uh oh... Next time! Chapter 23: The Surprise _**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO_ REVIEWED:**_Animefun17, CCSKKJ, jpqueenp, brudy, Beautiful Sensations, natsu, nessa, Emily, xxJcc16xx, pandasxpocky, hcs5059, Wasabi-kun, ashlieswifty, TooLazyToLogIn, SunsetRika, courtneylynn222, Pikas, Guest, Kohru, Aquesa, Lurvevanilla, KHLostEmpress, Minx The Shadow Thief, bacchus in vines, NonieBee, Reika Natsuki, fairytailmage77, ck, shandulah84, Kuronekohimesama, NaLu, QueenP19, qtip1412, Rainbows-and-Rainclouds, TVfreak7, dwb321, KHRDRRRlover, KawaiiOdango, TheLostHope, The Keeper of Worlds, Mira-sans' helper, AngelsFairyTail, , maglin, mixthealphabet, Disappear500, Alice Harkey, GuiltyCrown09, SeraphChimera, LoveIsARose, Eternal Anime Fan, DeathBerryLover1995, Cat Goliath, Person, LovingMyOTP's _

**_There are so many of you! It makes me so happy! Really! ANd a lot of you left such LONG reviews, which I enjoy reading more than anything. Nothing makes me happier than a long review. Like, I read them in school when I'm supposed to be doing my aiding duties (IE making copies...and copies...stapling...then more copies. Ugh.) and I start smiling to myself and freak people out. Seriously. Anywhoser!_**

**_Once again, love all of you! Looking forward to all of your thoughts!_**


	23. The Surprise

_**Ah, so I found the time to update! Yay! Thanks to those of you who wished my sister a happy birthday :) She's living large and in charge at the age of 3. Also, Happy Easter, to those who celebrate! There's nothing like waking up to find a basket full of chocolates waiting for you on the kitchen table, no? I hope you all have a wonderful, chocolate-filled day!**_

_**On another note...in the FT manga... DAT NALU. I mean C'MON. Seriously. Anyone who's an Anti-NaLu shipper should be giving up right about now. It's so going to happen. I can feel it in my bones...and my bones a fairly accurate, if I do say so myself. Like, forreal. He cried for her. CRIED. And he's promising to protect her, and he's thinking about her and her smile constantly, and just ohmygosh. My feelings cannot be expressed.**_

_**Woohoo! Over 700! :D**_

_**Special shout out to **__KawaiiOdango __**for being the 700th reviewer!**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Surprise**_

* * *

It was time to stop hiding. It was time to face things head on, with her chin held high and her eyes filled with pride. It was time for her to stop being so scared of the world and take charge for a change. It was time for Lucy Heartfilia to confront her _nakama_. She had responsibilities now, as a mother-to-be, and these past few months…she hadn't been acting like herself; all scared, hesitant, sniveling in the corner like a frightened child. She was very nearly an adult—it was about damn time for her to start acting like one.

Surprisingly enough, it was Galahad who'd made her see reason. By _confessing_ to her, nonetheless. She was still out of sorts because of it, not sure what to do the next time she saw him. But, it was time to move on, come what might.

Early in the morning, at about eight—the earliest she had been awake in quite some time—Lucy was dressing herself. Struggling—as she'd expected, her butt _had_ gotten larger—to pull on a pair of denim jeans, one, because it was chilly outside, and two, she found it no longer appropriate for her to wear tight mini-skirts—for the time being, at least—and a moderately conservative shirt. The shirt was still a V-neck, dipping down low, but not too low that her breasts, as big as they were, threatened to fall out. Earrings dangled from her lobes, like decorations. Overall, the outfit was cute—conservative, but cute all the same—as she figured that she had to look somewhat decent if she was going to be confronting everybody today.

In front of her bedroom mirror, Lucy smiled shakily at her reflection. Her makeup was spotless, as it always was, her outfit was fine, hair tied back into a low ponytail with a bow, and if she just smiled, one would have thought that she were a normal, teenage girl. Too bad she wasn't, she though wryly, glancing at the floor and then to her bare feet.

Time to put on her socks, shoes, and go. The thought made her a bit queasy, or maybe it was just the baby, but she steeled her nerves anyhow. There was no going back now, after she'd finally made up her mind. Her steady hands grabbed the ankle socks lying on the floor next to the foot of her mirror. Lucy had just slipped them on and was busy smoothing the wrinkles out of her shirt when, startlingly, she felt it…

A bump.

Startled, the blonde ran her two hands over her abdomen again, and again, she was met with a miniscule bump. It was hard, not at all soft and pudgy as she thought it would be, and it fit delicately in the palm of her hand. So small…but it was there.

Her bump. _Proof_.

Until now, it hadn't always been at the front of her mind that, yes, there was another being growing inside of her, depending on her. There hadn't been any physical proof to remind her of that fact. But now…now she could feel it, even if it was tiny and barely there. She could feel it. Her baby. Awe coated her face as she, hastily, turned to her side and yanked up her shirt to rest just below her breasts. Her creamy stomach reflected in the mirror, and around where her pelvic bone was, there was a small bulge…

"…Wow," was all she could utter as the pads of her fingers, light and delicate as if she would somehow bring harm to the bump, brushed against the smooth skin. "You're really there, huh?" She poked her stomach with a single finger. "Hm, well, let's see…the magazines that I've been reading say that I should start talking to you as soon as I feel comfortable doing so; that way you know my voice," Lucy said, more to herself. "So, um, hi… I'm…I'm your mommy," the words choked out of her mouth, feeling incredibly awkward.

Calling herself _mommy_ was just…strange. The word itself wasn't foreign to her, but, when she was using it in reference to herself… Lucy felt like she could never get used to it. That, and, she was kind of talking out loud to herself, seeing as the baby couldn't reply in any way. Of course, she _did_ have five more months to practice and get used to it.

"Let's see… I should probably introduce myself, ne?" She nodded. "My name is Lucy Heartfilia, but, you'll call me, er, mommy," still awkward, but she was working on it, "Hmm… I don't know much about babies, so, I'll tell you right now that if I mess up in the future, I'm sorry; but I'll try my best not to make too many mistakes. You see, my mother, your grandmother, passed away when I was a little girl, and your grandfather… He made mistakes, but he did his best to make up for them—he passed away, too, before I could see him again. So, what I'm trying to say is, I don't have an example to go by—or, at least, a very good one," the celestial mage explained softly, sincerely, as her fingertips drew circles over the skin of her stomach. Her strokes slowed as a heavy, sweltering feeling began blossoming in her chest—it was nearly suffocating.

But it wasn't a bad feeling. It was filled with…protectiveness and even _love_. Were these the maternal feelings that those magazines of hers had bragged about so often? Lucy supposed they were, because, just the thought of any harm coming to her baby, her little bump, made various emotions pass through her. Pain, panic, grief, anger, self-loathing, lust for revenge…

Or…maybe it was just her hormones. She couldn't be too sure.

"I know you can't understand or even hear me right now, but, I want you to know…" She pressed on the small swell, her soft fingers cradling the area protectively. "I want you to know that no matter what, Mommy will protect you. Everything's going to be fine." Lucy looked back into the mirror at herself, chocolate eyes straying from her midsection to the reflection of her own eyes. She was almost startled—she looked so…determined. It was a look that she hadn't seen in a while—her eyes were hard and serious, polished lips thinned out, face slack but guarded. "Yeah, everything's going to be fine…"

She knew she was saying the words to herself.

_Time to go._

o0o

This time, as Lucy walked to the guild, she held her hands over her stomach. And this time, when she pushed the doors open with shaky hands, she closed her eyes and willed the worst to happen.

There was silence, as she'd expected—upon them noticing her presence, the guild had immediately dropped into a hush. With her eyes still closed, feet still planted in the doorway, a single hand still resting protectively over her swell, Lucy grated her teeth against her bottom lip, anxiety creeping through her veins like frozen slush. But when nothing happened, even after an extremely long pause, she peeled a single eye open in question.

Lucy was promptly greeted with the sight of her entire guild smiling at her. _Smiling_.

…What?

And then, there was a sudden weight barreling her over, nearly knocking her flat onto her back. With a gasp, she steadied herself and the small girl that had clasped onto her midsection, nuzzling her stomach. "Congratulations, Lucy-nee!" Asuka's small, but cheery, voice shouted.

"Asuka," Bisca called, her tone berating, "be careful!"

"Oh!" The little girl yanked back and her cowboy hat nearly fell off from the force; she fixed Lucy with a worried look directly after readjusting her hat. "I didn't hurt the baby, did I?"

…What?

"Um…no, no, Asuka-chan…" Lucy stuttered, befuddled. Robotically, she reached out and rubbed the child's head affectionately with a tense, surprised smile. Asuka grinned back heartily, her baby teeth showing and setting her face nearly aglow. "Well, uh," Lucy lifted her gaze to see her guildmates again, and they were still grinning, "I'm…back?"

It seemed that those were the words that her guild had been waiting to hear, for as soon as they left her lips, Fairy Tail erupted in a wall of sound. Shouts, whoops, cheers, laughter—happy, encouraging sounds that Lucy hadn't expected to hear, hadn't even considered the possibility of hearing. They…didn't seem mad, or disappointed with her. In fact, many of them were coming up to her, hugging her, and then saying,

"Welcome back!"

Confounded, Lucy let them hug her—even Macao and Wakaba, whom she suspected would cop a feel, but didn't—and tug her fully inside the beer hall.

…_What?_

"Congratulations!"

"We're all so happy for you!"

"Boy or girl?"

Still floundering, and nearly drowning, in confusion, the blonde blinked mutely at her friends, her _nakama_. Her mouth opened to answer their questions, but every time she thought she could provide a response, shock would sweep through her again and she would quickly loose her train of thought. Lucy was rendered _speechless_—and that was a hard feat to accomplish, achieved only by Natsu and a few other of her closer comrades.

"Oi, oi," a sultry, but feminine, voice drawled. "Don't crowd her." Cana stepped in, shooing away the small ringlet of people surrounding Lucy. "Give her some room to breathe, guys," she ordered, flicking her hand in a 'shoo, shoo' motion. Then she looked down and winked. The tall, busty brunette didn't have a mug in her hand, for once, as she lead Lucy away by the wrist to a table where most of the female members were crowded around.

Erza was the first one that Lucy made eye-contact with, and the blonde gulped. From the very moment she knew she was pregnant, Lucy had known that other than Natsu, Erza would be the second scariest person to confront. The swordswoman was, as Gray liked to put it so often, _so old fashioned that even grannies laughed at her._ Of course, he usually received a swift punch to the ribs for this comment. But, either way, the fact remained that Erza Scarlet liked old traditions—and she was especially partial to the prospect of courtship, marriage, _and then_ coitus and children. It was a more romantic notion, believing in the fact that only one person should ever know someone else so intimately, and as Lucy knew, Erza was an ideal romantic—no matter how hard she tried to deny this fact.

So as the two friends stared at each other, the blonde was expecting a scolding. A long, long lecture on morals and responsibility and whatnot… However, Erza simply smiled softly with understanding in her eyes and said, "Congratulations, Lucy."

…Had the whole guild gone crazy? They _had_ to have gone crazy. Where was the uproar she had imagined? The strange looks? The questions? Any normal guild would have reacted that way…

"Are you alright, Lu-chan? You're looking a little green," Levy worriedly said to Lucy's left.

The celestial mage started, gaping at her best friend with a look of incredulity on her face. Levy had known about this? Well, of course she had, Lucy thought in the next second.

"Oh, nausea?" Bisca chimed in at that moment. "Don't worry, when I was pregnant with Asuka, it only lasted until halfway into my second trimester. A good remedy for it is peppermint tea," the markswoman advised, casting a look to Mirajane who was busy behind the counter.

Mira smiled before saying, "Coming right up, on the house!"

Lucy blinked. "Oh."

"What are you doing still standing? Stay off your feet," Evergreen, who was actually separated from Elfman, ordered as she all but pushed Lucy down into a chair.

The celestial mage was uncharacteristically obedient as she lowered herself into the chair without a fuss and blinked owlishly at the other girls surrounding the table. Levy, Erza, Juvia, Cana, Bisca, Evergreen, Lisanna, Wendy, and Charle—it appeared that the rest of the female population was out on missions or the like. But nearly all of them were present, sitting around a small table, fixing Lucy, as dumbfounded as she was, with happy smiles.

"Here you go, freshly brewed," Mira said sweetly, setting down a steaming cup of peppermint tea underneath Lucy's nose.

It smelled wonderful. Just the scent alone was enough to calm her rolling stomach. "Thank you." Lucy lifted the cup and took two quick mouthfuls, savoring the wonderful, minty flavor. When she set the cup down, her eyes trained on her own reflection in the shimmering, brown surface, she exhaled slowly. Her index finger traced the rim of the cup.

_Why?_ she wanted to ask. _How?_ How were they so cheerful for her? So happy? As if nothing had changed? As if this weren't a big deal?

"Easy there," Cana rumbled from her spot directly across the table after noticing the plentiful expressions that were crossing Lucy's face by the second. "Don't start stressing out, you'll give yourself premature winkles. Kills a girl's skin."

The rest of the girls laughed, amused by Cana's dry sense of humor, but Lucy only slinked sheepishly into her seat, her fingers twiddling nervously. They all hadn't gathered together at a certain table for no reason, she knew. Obviously, they wanted to talk about something—at this thought, Lucy's hand fell to her stomach automatically.

The action didn't go unnoticed by Juvia, to Lucy's right, who was watching the celestial mage with eyes like a hawk's. "How far along is Lucy-san?" the water mage asked, bubbly, addressing the blonde herself.

"Eh? Um, four and a half months, I think…just about…" Lucy replied with an unsure tone.

There was a gasp from Bisca. "Oh, wow, four and a half months? You're so _small_ compared to how I was. When I was four and a half months, it was pretty noticeable. But you look like you've barely started to show…" Undeniably the woman with experience, seeing as she'd already had a child of her own, the green-haired woman captured Lucy's attention immediately.

"Does that mean there's something wrong?" Lucy's tone was shrill, almost panicked. After all the grief she'd been put through the past months, the last thing she wanted to hear was that there was something wrong with her baby…her little, newly-discovered bump.

At the wide-eyed look she received from the celestial mage, Bisca giggled, waving a soothing hand. "Oh, no, no, not at all. It's different for every woman. Our body types are pretty different, and so are our levels of activity. More active women take longer to show," she explained and watched as Lucy visibly deflated in her chair with a look of relief.

She certainly was active—not as active as she could be, but still very active. During the time in which she'd holed herself up in her apartment, though she hadn't gone on missions, she'd exercised daily to get her mind off of certain things. Like Natsu. Natsu, whom she was pointedly avoiding looking for in the crowded hall.

"Eh, four and half months…" Evergreen murmured. She cast a sidelong look at Erza and Levy. "That should be perfect, then, right?"

Levy nodded, her bright blue hair bobbing as she held up a single finger. "Yep. I planned it out carefully."

"Two weeks should be the perfect time—Lucy will be larger, but not overly so," Erza, rather bluntly, said.

Meanwhile, Lucy openly stared at the three. What? In two weeks? She didn't know whether to be offended or pleased with Erza's comment—seeing as half of her wanted to baby to grow and be healthy, and the other half of her despised the idea of being fat—and Levy and Evergreen weren't helping. What were they planning? Some sort of trip?

"Um," Lucy mumbled curiously, catching the eyes of the three women in prospect. "What's going on in two weeks?"

But instead of answering her question, Levy, Erza and Evergreen simply cast a glance to Mira who was standing in front of the bar countertop. The oldest Strauss sibling smiled, winked, and then cleared her throat. "Everyone!" she called out, expecting their immediate attention. Of course, the rest of the guild was far too loud—hooting, hollering, and fighting—to hear. "Everyone!" Mira repeated.

"Silence!" Erza barked then, a scowl on her face as she stared out into the crowd.

They settled immediately, of course, for fear of Erza's infamous wrath.

Mirajane coughed politely. "Thank you," she said, smiling again. "Now, as we all know, our very own Lucy is going to be a mother!" Mira giggled at this and clasped her hands together, as if thoroughly delighted. "But, before she can have the baby, we need a proper celebration, don't you think?"

From her seat, Lucy blinked curiously. _Celebration?_

Murmurs and whispers of agreement chorused through the hall.

"So, exactly two weeks from now, we'll be hosting Lucy's baby shower!"

_Baby shower?_ Lucy reeled back in surprise, her brown eyes landing on Mirajane as she clapped her hands together happily. Baby showers; Lucy knew what they were—she'd been to a few, one or two—but she'd never even considered having one for herself… Not that she didn't want one, because now that she thought about it, it was a good idea—she wasn't at all prepared for the baby; no clothes, no crib, no diapers, etc. She had been so stressed about actually letting other people know she was pregnant that she really hadn't thought about gathering supplies, it hadn't crossed her mind.

"Or course," Mira continued, "as is the tradition, this is a strictly _girls-only_ event. Men, if you'd like to give Lucy presents, one of the girls would be more than happy to drop it off at the guild for you." Though she was smiling brilliantly, anyone in the room could feel the dangerous aura she permeated—it was a threat to the male population. _Mess up the baby shower and feel my wrath, _it said.

From the back of the hall, Gray snorted before raising his voice. "Oi, oi. You're taking charge of the guild for a whole day? What are we supposed to do, then?" _We,_ obviously meant, _the men_.

"You can go train," Erza coolly rebutted as she captured her teammate with a dark, threatening glower. In her opinion, the men could use a day to do nothing but train—there was no such thing as being too skilled, she thought personally. Besides, most of them would be happy to have a day off and not worry about the next fight.

"That isn't fair," Gray countered. "What if we _want_ to come to the, er, baby shower?" He sounded awkward and his face was red, and he sure as hell _didn't_ want to attend, but, his pride was on the line. "Shouldn't we ask Lucy about _her_ opinion?"

"Well, it _is_ her baby shower…" Mira trailed off thoughtfully before turning to Lucy. "Lucy, what do you think about… Lucy? Are you alright?" The barista's tone abruptly changed as she hurriedly scampered to the blonde's side, her face pinched with worry.

Startled, Lucy went to reply, but found that her throat was thick. "I… Huh?" Something warm and wet was sliding down her cheek, leaving a trail in its wake. She reached up with a shaking hand to feel, and then pulled back, surprised to see her fingers were wet. She was…_crying_. "I…" she tried again, but her throat closed up. "Oh, Mavis," she mumbled as she scrubbed at her eyes. "This is embarrassing…"

"Lucy, what's wrong?" Erza asked. The redhead inched closer and held out her hands cautiously, poised to help if her friend needed it.

Lucy shook her head. "Nothing," she managed to say. "I just…I…" She sniffled. Mavis, she had been crying so much lately! Within the past few months, she'd cried more than every other previous instance put together! She was such a crybaby…

"Oh, you're just emotional," Bisca hummed soothingly, quickly making her way to the crying girl and rubbing her back. "It's perfectly normal."

The celestial mage could only nod her head in agreement. It was the hormones' fault, she decided. She'd never been this emotional before, this out of sorts and unpredictable with her feelings. But, she couldn't help it, she was just so… "I'm just…so _happy_," Lucy whispered. "I thought…I thought that…you all would…be disappointed in me… I wasn't expecting to…to be welcomed like this…"

The only thing that Mira said was, "What? Why wouldn't you be welcomed?"

Lucy shook her head. She'd been stupid, she realized, to think that her _nakama_ would belittle her or think the worst of her. They were her family, her rock, her support in times of stress—they would always be there for her, through thick and thin.

Levy stood too, and she wasted no time in wrapping her best friend in a hug. "Welcome back."

And that was all that needed to be said.

* * *

_**Well, all's well that ends well is the saying... But, there remains one bond to be repaired! Next time! Chapter 23: The Precognition**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:**__ Guest, xishaxx, chibiininja, Alpha White Wolf, Anonymous Santa, Beautiful Sensations, the-eternal-spring-alchemist, DreamScale2Reality, nessa, onebluefairy, Lady La-sara, jhelyn920, Pikas, pufuubaai, xxJcc161xx, Caelith, Catwho, natsu, Wasabi-kun, Briarthorne, KawaiiOdango, XJessieRoseX, Guest, inukagome9193, Kohryu, Kitsuri Mizuka, E-Anonymous, DragonPrincessXx, axelialea, KHLostEmpress, guest, LenenaxX, blACkcaTziLpah25, Angels-Fairy Tail, Reika Natsuki, TabsTeam, SeraphChimera, hcs5059, QueenP19, anime-lover-74, ashlieswifty, firekeytothegolenlock, GuiltyCrown09, pandasxpocky, Alice Harkey, KristyKakes, Danny Phantom Fan1, xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx, leoslady4ever, S4JM, Cat Goliath, Disappear500, LovingmyOTP's, Ryujin65_

**_I love ya'll with all my heart. And to those of you who asked... Ahem. No. This is not a LucyxOC fic. Don't worry. I'm holding off on the NaLu because it needs to be done. Trust me; once it happens...shit will GO DOWN. NaLu explosion. We're just not there yet ;) And thanks guys! A lot of you are really liking Galahad, which makes me happy! He's a round character, one that's meant to be somewhat likeable as the story progresses, so good to know that I accomplished that!_**

**_Now, I must go. Easter Eggs are calling my name! Muahaha. Never too old to scramble for candy-filled eggs in my opinion... :)_**

**_Review, my lovelies! And Happy Easter!_**


	24. The Precognition

_**Omg you guys! I'm so sorry that I didn't update last week! It totally wasn't in the plan, I promise! Things at home just got a little out of whack. My mom left for Cali with my sister, my brother broke his leg, and my dad is staying overnight at work for the next two weeks... So, I'm basically running the house and taking care of both of my brothers (one of whom is now crippled). So, it definitely throws a curveball in my plans... Hopefully I be able to update next week, but if not, well, you guys understand, right? My mom should be back after next Sunday, my dad shortly after that. Meanwhile, I just gotta make sure the boys don't burn down the house... Joy.**_

_**Remember Kevin Wade? The basketball player who broke his leg on the court and the bone came out of his skin? My brother has the same break. Nasty stuff right there. He's in a cast all the way up to his mid thigh. And he's cranky about it, to boot. I don't think I've ever seen a boy so peeved about having to have his pants cut off in an ambulance.**_

_**On the bright side of things (sort of) I officially have a new obsession. Supernatural. The TV show. Ugh. I started watching it on Netflix at a friend's house a few weeks ago and now I can't stop. Help. Me. I. Can't. Even. Ugh. Jensen and Jared are too much eye candy for me. Can they stop being sexy, for, like, five minutes? No? Okay then. Guess that's cool too.**_

_**Anyway! Special shout out to**__ Wa__sabi-kun__ **for being the 750th reviewer! And We're almost to 800 guys! I cannot contain my excitement!**__** Ahhh!**__**  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Precognition**_

* * *

"Oh, that's _cute_…"

"Ne, Lu-chan, what about this?"

"Hmm… I'll definitely need one of those."

"Oh, hey, have we looked at these yet?"

"No, but it needs to go on the list, I think."

"Look at this."

"…Um. That's nice…I guess…"

"It's practical."

"I don't think Lu-chan will be needing that _quite_ yet."

"There's no such thing as preparing too early."

"Wow, I never realized how much stuff I would need…"

Concurrently, three women sat at a table, looking through magazine after magazine after magazine. Quite frankly, Lucy was getting tired of it—she'd done nothing but read magazines for the past two months. But, they needed to put together a suitable list of gift ideas for the baby shower. That, and Erza just really wanted an excuse to look through all the catalogues; she was a bit of a splurge and impulse shopper.

Lucy sighed, tapping her pencil against the sheet of paper in her left hand. It was a list, a very _long_ list, of all the gift ideas they'd come up with after two hours of non-stop "researching". Cribs, bottles, outfits, blankets, pacifiers, diapers, mobiles, safety locks—they had pretty much everything. Except for toys.

Just as Levy's fingers skimmed over the glossy page, Lucy's eyes sparkled as they caught on a particular object. "Oh," she said, "look at that! It's so cute…" She pointed to it, bringing it to her best friend's attention.

A stuffed duckling, large, soft, and yellow, that was as tall as the length of Lucy's arm. Its eyes were stitched—not beaded, as it was a choking hazard for young babies—and its beak was a bright orange with matching, webbed orange feet. _Adorable_, was the only word that came to mind.

"It's certainly adorable," Erza echoed Lucy's thoughts as she leaned over to peek at the stuffed animal.

Lucy nodded, writing down the model number and name; _The Huggly Duckling_, as it was called. Fitting and clever, Lucy thought personally as she tapped her pencil again. "He'll need a lot of toys, they're necessities too as long as there aren't too many."

"Yes, you have to be careful. You want the child to be happy, but not spoiled—it's a fine line," the swordswoman said sagely, dark eyes skimming her own magazine. Then she paused, lifting her gaze to hold her blonde friend with a curious look. "He?" she questioned.

"Hm?" Lucy mumbled, tearing her eyes away from another stuffed animal on the same page, this time, a moose. "Oh, um…" Her cheeks pinked as she quickly recalled her small, seemingly harmless, slipup.

"You know the gender?"

"Ah, no, I don't," Lucy admitted sheepishly, feeling rather embarrassed. "I just refer to the baby as 'he' without thinking about it sometimes." She didn't want to keep calling the baby 'it', because it was a person in her opinion…albeit a very small person.

Levy grinned at this, her lips stretching into a smile. "So you think it's a boy, then?" Magazine forgotten for the time being, the solid script mage pinned her best friend with a wondering look, amber eyes filled with curiosity. She folded her small hands, eagerness rolling off of her petit form in tangible waves.

"Eh? Well, I… I mean, I… I don't know!" Lucy spluttered, cheeks aflame, her eyes downcast. "I just…call it that…"

Levy giggled. "I guess that's what they call a mother's intuition, ne?"

The blonde of the bunch only bushed further, her face almost completely and impossibly red. _Mother's_ _intuition_, Levy'd said… Though, Lucy would admit that the prospect was endearing and had her heart fluttering excitedly, hearing it straight from the mouth of her best friend made it a little embarrassing. "Wh-what _mother's intuition?_" the celestial mage snuffed, turning her nose up to hide her embarrassment.

"Hmm," Erza hummed then, her burgundy eyes closing in thought. "A male child would still be exceedingly adorable—although, a girl would be best. She'd sweep the entire guild off their feet."

"You think so, Erza?" Levy mused as her eyes rolled up to the ceiling. She, too, closed her eyes and pursed her lips in a pondering manner. "I can picture it, too," she said eventually with another giggle. "A little girl with bouncing, blonde hair or a little boy with those big, expressive eyes… Oh, Lu-chan, why do you have to make such cute children?" the bluenette sighed dramatically, opening her eyes to give her friend a teasing grin.

Lucy coughed, her body becoming tense and rigid. "_C-cute?_ Levy-chan, we don't even know what he…she…_it_…looks like yet. Quit saying such embarrassing things, _mou!_" She puffed out her cheeks and pointedly stared down at her list, tapping her pencil again with a look of forced concentration.

_Let's move on already,_ the look insisted.

"Alright, alright, Lu-chan," Levy laughed.

She would let her friend be for now…but as time passed, Levy was sure that the teasing would only increase—and not just from her end; other members of the guild would definitely, without a doubt, join in for the fun of it. With a snort of amusement, she took the very last magazine and skimmed the glossy pages, searching for the children's section. Toy cars, baby dolls, scooters—things that the child would undoubtedly have in the further future—but one toy out of them all gave the bluenette pause.

She had to blink at it for a moment, briefly thinking that the plushy was hands-down, the _cutest_ one she'd seen yet and that she _had_ to put it on the list… But, then the rational side of her brain kicked into gear—shoving the fluffy, happy-go-lucky, baby-shower-feels out of the way—and she sobered a bit. It was smaller than the duck, various shades of red and black with scales drawn on the fabric, a protruding snout, horns on its head, and wings on its back. A dragon. It was a bit ironic, Levy supposed—bitterly so.

And now, of course, her thoughts shifted to Natsu Dragneel.

He'd been…different lately, she thought. It wasn't a huge difference, just subtle changes in his behavior that had her silently wondering. He seemed happy, seemed fine, seemed alright with everything that was happening. _Seemed_. But, deep inside, Levy suspected that the dragonslayer was _not_, in any way, shape, or form, comfortable with his partner's newfound situation.

Had the situation been different and Natsu's behavior more petty, Levy would have labeled it as simple, childish jealously—because the heavens knew just how territorial Natsu could get sometimes. But that was the issue, she supposed. The situation _wasn't_ different and his behavior certainly _wasn't_ petty.

What was there to do about it, though?

It was obvious, to Levy and the close-knit friends of Natsu and Lucy, that the two were…strangers lately, for lack of a better description. On more than one account, Levy had actually been approached by Erza and asked if she knew anything concerning Natsu and Lucy's alienated way of interacting. Of course, even Levy had no idea as to what was _really_ wrong between the two of them—and most likely, they didn't even know either. There was definitely something going on in Natsu's head—but what, the petit genius just couldn't discern.

She _did_ know, however, that he was uncomfortable with Lucy's pregnancy. And she also suspected that he was growing irritated with Galahad over the sheer fact that the illusionist spent a lot of time with Lucy. So, in reality, there was a solution, Levy thought. But, it was just so… She didn't know how to put it. Not improbable, or unlikely, but rather…too _simple_.

To Levy McGarden, Natsu's behavior, though introverted and boorish, suggested that he was…_in love_ with Lucy. It made sense to her—he'd never been in love before, so of course he wouldn't know how to express himself, and it would explain his bitterness towards Lucy's pregnancy, _and_ it would account for his loathing of Galahad. But…it just seemed too simple to be true. Plus there was the matter of the unfinished mating process. What if it was just Natsu's instincts kicking in? If they were, then he was just as much the victim as Lucy was…

Levy had hit a road block in her theory. And roadblocks were more frustrating that anything in the world to her.

"Say, Lu-chan…" the solid script mage found herself asking slowly. "How's…Natsu been lately?"

_How's he taking this? Any news?_ Both Levy and Lucy caught the second meaning—and, as she wasn't deaf nor blind to the situation, Erza had her suspicions as well.

Lucy nibbled on her bottom lip gently, scraping off the clear gloss that had been lightly coated there. Her eyes, originally glowing and sparkling warmly, dimmed slightly and her fingers dragged absent-mindedly across a random page in small circles. "He's…well… To tell you the truth, though I think you already know, he's…avoiding me. I think," it was mumbled under her breath, as if she was ashamed to admit it.

"Avoiding you?" came Erza's parroted response, sounding incredulous and baffled. Natsu had never avoided Lucy before—other than the times when he'd been trying to protect himself from her wrath, of course.

The blonde nodded after a small pause. "Yeah… I think he's upset that Galahad visits me and talks to me so often." At this, she looked up, an expression of puzzlement on her delicate features. "He's acting almost like one of my jealous, over-zealous, ex-boyfriends… Brooding, avoiding me, putting up a front when he _is_ around me… I just don't know."

The female knight looked almost amused and serious at the same time when she said, "To me, it sounds as though he's very jealous."

Levy nodded at this—it seemed as though the Titania shared her incentives. "That's what I was thinking, Lu-chan."

"Jealous?" Lucy repeated as her eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

Sure, she'd imagined—_fantasized_ being the more appropriate term—Natsu being jealous before; out of simple curiosity, of course. But, it had never occurred to her that the dragonslayer was just as capable of expressing the emotion in this context as the next person. She'd seen him act jealous before, on a few rare occasions, but the cause had never been anything thing remotely romantic; Gray going on more advanced missions, Happy spending more time with Charle, Gajeel being able to perfect a new attack—these were the most typical causes. Never romanticism. Never. Which was why she was having such a hard time believing her two friends, even though they sat there with serious looks and knowing gazes.

"No, no," the blonde muttered, shaking her head, "there's no way he's _jealous_…over _me_. That's just not…" She stopped and chose to pause, gathering her stray thoughts. "Natsu's not the type to…" And she stopped again, having recalled something very, very important.

Their unfinished mating. _That_ was the cause. She'd nearly forgotten all the research that she'd done all those months ago…

_Mate guarding: the necessity to preserve access to a mate, prevent encroachment of intersexual rivals, and to prevent a mate from defecting mateship. This can be a source of conflict between two partners, as a male's behavior can be brash, crude and sometimes aggressive, but if the female consents, it usually develops into long-lasting cooperation. _

He probably wasn't acting in such a way by choice, she knew…

"To what, Lucy?" Erza pressed.

The celestial spirit mage blinked. "To be…r-remotely romantic. Like I said, I don't think he's jealous, really… Just angry that I'm spending more time with Galahad—they don't particularly like each other, you know," Lucy mumbled, lowing her eyes to the paper.

The instinctual part of Natsu saw Galahad as a threat to their potential mateship—though, Lucy thought the notion was ridiculous. Even though Galahad had confessed to her, and even though he was simply perfect—save his attitude—she just…didn't love him. It was that simple.

Lucy much preferred brash, crude, aggressive, dense, pink-haired dragonslayers.

"They _are_ exceedingly tense around one another," Erza said.

"Do you think that they're rivals?" Levy asked curiously.

"Possibly. Natsu might see Galahad as a threat to his relationship with Lucy."

"Mm," Levy agreed with a nod. "I think Galahad has a thing for Lu-chan."

"He doesn't seem like the type to confess, though," Erza countered, completely serious.

"Actually…" And here, Lucy chewed on her lip again, internally debating on whether or not she should tell her friends about Galahad's confession. He wasn't currently present, for once, and Mirajane was all the way across the beer hall, so… "Galahad…er, _did_."

There were exactly two full heartbeats of silence before Levy grabbed Lucy's shoulders and practically shouted, "He did _what?_"

"Um…confessed?"

Erza blinked, stunned, for a few seconds longer as she let the information soak in. Certainly, Galahad had shown signs of favoritism towards the blonde mage, but everyone had assumed that it was nothing more than simple attraction—after all, Lucy was a gorgeous girl with killer measurements, and she was a celestial spirit mage to boot; men usually had no problem finding her attractive. But, what Erza hadn't expected was for Galahad to stoop and lower his head to confess from his heart—somehow, it didn't quite seem like his character.

Certainly, the man was no saint in Erza's mind. She had caught his gaze lingering on women a few times, caught him muttering things under his breath, caught him smirking because he knew exactly how handsome he was. But he wasn't a lecherous villain either, at least, from what she'd seen. The illusionist appeared to treat women well enough, despite the looks he tended to give them; he was undoubtedly charming. Lucy would be in good hands…or, at least, Erza hoped she would be.

"Have you replied?" the swordswoman asked Lucy, turning to her.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah… A few days ago, he showed up at my house with flowers and just confessed out of the blue… I didn't exactly say that I couldn't accept his feelings, but, he said that he understood just by the expression on my face…"

"And?" Levy urged.

"And…I haven't talked to him since."

"Okay, alright." The bluenette huffed, blowing a lock of hair out of her eyes before reaching up to tuck it into her handmade headband. She eyed Lucy speculatively afterwards, trying to probe for her friend's thoughts. "You aren't going to change your mind, right?"

"What? No, I don't think so," Lucy answered honestly. "He's…nice. Or, actually, _too_ nice. And I hardly know him—he's only been around for four months or so."

Erza snapped her magazine closed. An idea had suddenly crossed her mind—a sudden burst of insight. "Does Natsu know?"

"Know about what?" Lucy lifted a brow.

Erza sighed before elaborating, "That you don't view Galahad romantically."

The blonde celestial mage felt her face pink. "I, well, no, I don't think so, but… Why would he even care? I mean, he's Natsu… We're not like that, so he shouldn't be concerned if – "

"What if he is?" The female knight was blunt and cool as usual, a stern look on her face that dared Lucy to challenge or rebut.

She, of course, only stumbled and lowered her eyes. "I… I mean, he doesn't, well, you know, and – "

"And that's where you would be wrong, dear friend," a familiar voice mused. Lucy, surprised, whirled around in her seat to fix Cana, standing with a mug of beer in one hand and her deck of cards in the other, with an embarrassed stare. The card mage chuckled, her dark, glazed-from-drinking eyes rolling. "Natsu, even though he's an idiot, is definitely feeling…well, different than usual." As if to back up her rather bold statement, she flicked the wrist of the hand holding her deck of cards.

"A-and just how do you know?" Lucy countered.

Cana chuckled again, meandering over and taking a seat to Erza's left. The brunette set her cards on the table, patting them and saying, "Never doubt my divinations," with a wink. Then, she flipped over the top three cards, spreading them out onto the wooden, grainy surface of the table. Her fingers tapped the edge of the first one in a slow, contemplating manner. "_The Hermit,_" she said, "can represent distance, a retreat, inner searching, and the like." Her index finger moved to the second card, tapping again. "_The Moon_; lack of clarity, tension, deception, and," she moved to the last card, "_The Tower_ usually foretells chaos, downfalls, disillusions, or the revealing of the truth."

Lucy's mouth dried up.

_Retreat, deception, revealing of the truth…_

It was as if Cana somehow _knew_.

The blonde, before she could stop herself, sent the card mage an accusatory glance, to which Cana smirked at.

"My guess, is that he's holing himself up at home, brooding over the fact that you, supposedly, enjoy Galahad's company over his own – "

"I never said that!" Lucy protested heatedly, anger flaring.

"I know that, you know that, _we_ know that." Cana nodded, lifting up her mug to take a gulp of beer. "But _he doesn't,_" she mumbled around the drink. "As dense as he is, and as easily as he misreads signals, he probably thinks the two of you are dating—which, undoubtedly would mean that Galahad would take up more of your time, leaving you less time to spend with Natsu. Of course he would feel threatened by that."

Erza nodded her head at this, agreeing. "Dragonslayers happen to be quite territorial, as you and Levy both know," she said to Lucy, and out of the corner of her eyes, caught Levy blushing up to her ears.

"Exactly." Cana slammed her mug down onto the tabletop with a heady release exhale, her breath smelling heavily of alcohol. "Because you haven't been very clear with him, he feels threatened by Galahad, and betrayed by you, too—which, of course, explains his shitty mood when the three of you are together. Seriously, the atmosphere when you guys are together is enough to suffocate me…" she muttered sourly, glaring distastefully at her now empty cup.

Her fingers twiddling in her lap, Lucy closed her eyes. She needed to do something, because Cana was right. Natsu was avoiding her right now—one, because, for some reason, he felt territorially threatened by Galahad, and two, he was angry with her…or rather, feeling betrayed by her. "What should I…?"

"What should you do?" Cana interrupted, her eyes sharp. "You should go to his house, kick down the door, march right up to him and then kiss him senseless."

"_Cana!_" Lucy yelped. "I'm serious!"

"Eh? And you thought I wasn't?" the brunette snarked with a laugh. "Fine, fine," she sighed when she took note of Lucy's disapproving, but flustered, look, "just talk with him. Settle things out. For Mavis' sake, just fix whatever the hell's wrong between the two of you."

_Well_. Lucy grimaced. She couldn't exactly settle things with him—that would involve telling him about their, or rather, _his_, drunken, hazy mistake and the result that followed. Besides, judging by the way he'd reacted when first finding out that she was pregnant—silently turning around and stalking out the door—Lucy seriously doubted he would react much differently if he knew that she'd _lied_ to him. So, she had a solution…just not one that she could use. Perfect.

Thankfully, though, Levy could read the distress on Lucy's face. "Why don't you ask him out on a date?" she suggested innocently enough. "It's the best way to remedy whatever's gone wrong."

But Lucy only flushed. "A-a _date?_ With _Natsu?_ No. No, _no way_. He'd never agree, he thinks dates are pointless and a waste of time and – "

"So just treat him to dinner. He can't say no to food," came Cana's nonchalant rebuttal. "The best way to a man's heart is through his stomach." And with that, she cracked a grin, winked, and then rose to slink away to the bar. Her cards were still splayed out on the table.

Lucy, staring at them, gulped.

_Distance, retreating, inner searching, lack of clarity, tension, deception, chaos, downfalls, disillusions… Revealing of the truth._

Cana was trying to tell her something—trying to warn her, it seemed. And her suggestion to remedy this newfound chaos and uncertainty? A date. With Natsu.

Lucy was in for it now…

* * *

_**Uh-oh. A date? With Natsu? Prepare for the NaLu! Next time! Chapter 25: The Date**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:**__ Ple__ase, sarahmavis, RandomMeowz, sanicgofast, Disappear500, LilyAlina, Demon-Art-Lover1, Fuss, FrustratedOne, nessa, NamelessOne, HaterofGalahad, ifreakinluvnalu, xishaxx, vampire-fetish15, Nate, mayalewis16, Pikas, Danny Phantom Fan1, Anonymous Santa, courtneylynn222, Briarthorne, pandasxpocky, sai ninja, Guest, Caelith, GreenEternalFlame, KHLostEmpress, WolffChan, AngelsFairyTail, GuiltyCrown09, Wasabi-kun, TabsTeam, firekeytothegoldenlock, Kohryu, Wide-Eyed-Wonderer, QueenP19, Mira-sans helper, LSouljette, onebluefairy, ReikaNatsuki, spygrl700, Alice Harkey, luvelguk, KristyKakes, Cupcake-Lover-1374, DragonPrincessXx, SunsetRika, , Jennipher, bacchus in vines, SeraphChimera, selenityshiroi, KawaiiOdango, maglin, Cat Goliath, The Keeper Of Worlds, SORA-Koori-ryuu, Catwho, KinKitsune01_

**_It seems like I get more reviews for each chapter! Keep it up, you guys! _**


	25. The Date

_**Okay, you guys, like I said last chapter, things here are CRAZY. Really. I'm about to pull my hair out. But that would take forever because I have a LOT of hair. Ahem. Anyway. Like I said, my brother is temporarily crippled with a nasty broken leg (plus some nerve damage) and my parents are, once again, out of the country. On a cruise. To the Bahamas. And they didn't take me. My feelings are beyond hurt. But, oh well, I got to stay home from school to take care of not only my brothers, but my sister as well. So, basically, I'm running the house till my parents get back. Which is why I haven't updated in SO LONG. I beg for your understanding and (perhaps) forgiveness. I'm trying to make it up to you by updating today instead of on Sunday, which is my usual update-day.**_

_**Again, so sorry that I haven't updated in a few weeks. I'm trying to hold down the fort here, and since I have this small window of opportunity, I'm taking it!**_

_**Ahem. Forgive me?**_

_**Special shout out to**__ Disappear500__ **for being the 800th reviewer! And special shout out to**__ chibiininja__ **for being the 850th reviewer! Two big marks at once guys! You have no idea how happy that made me! Really! I love all of you!**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Date**_

* * *

She'd put this off for as long as she possibly could—and since she'd been around both Levy and Erza, that time had only surmised to a few hours at most. No sooner had Cana stalked off, her curvy hips swaying to an unheard beat with a smile on her face, were Erza and Levy both in Lucy's face; and the blonde knew immediately what her friends were plotting. The date. Their eyes had been shimmering, practically glowing with excitement.

A date.

She, Lucy Heartfilia, was going on a _date_ with Natsu.

That was, if he even opened his front door.

…Or, rather, if she even _knocked_ on said door first.

Sighing, Lucy shifted uncomfortably on her feet. They'd been a bit more swollen than usual, which was normal, she'd read in her trusty magazines, but the swelling made it difficult for her to stand for long periods of time. Already, even though she'd been standing for only five minutes, her heels and ankles were sore from the pressure being placed on them. And the funny thing was that Lucy hadn't even knocked yet. She'd just been standing there for five minutes, chewing her lip, worrying and thinking that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't so good of an idea after all. Because, what if he was angry with her? What if he laughed at her? Looked at her strangely? Said she was weird?

He'd called her weird plenty of times in the past, but now, just the thought of it was enough for her to start feeling strangely…achy inside. Her heart hurt. And Lucy honestly didn't know if it was because she feared rejection, or if it was because of her hormones—both seemed likely.

"C'mon, Lucy," she muttered to herself, eyes rolling up to the blue sky that was dotted with puffy, cotton ball clouds. A perfect day for an outing, as Erza had said. "You can do this… Just knock, it's not that hard. Just…knock." The blonde swallowed roughly as her shaky fist raised to the wood of his door.

A part of her really wished she wasn't so nervous. She'd been inside his house plenty of times—and she was positive that she'd never knocked before. She'd never needed to. Why the hell had she? After all, Natsu had made it a habit to break into her house and destroy her privacy on a near daily basis—though, not so frequently, as of late. It was only fair, she recalled thinking. Oh, where had that courage gone? Lucy sighed, about to turn around and go back home.

Erza and Levy could call her a flake all they wanted—asking Natsu out on a date was…the next closest thing to impossible.

As her booted foot clomped down the first of the cobblestone steps, the door behind her was suddenly swung open, and a shocked-sounding murmur of, "Lucy?" made her freeze. The voice belonged to none other than Natsu, naturally, as it was his front step that she was standing on, but even so…it made her insides shiver. She hadn't heard his voice in a while.

Feeling incredibly awkward and embarrassed about being caught loitering, Lucy craned her neck over her shoulder and with an impish smile said, "…Hey, Natsu…"

He looked fine, she thought—better than fine, even. His messy, pink hair was un-styled, flopping into his eyes and sticking out at odd angles, and his waistcoat was rumpled but presentable. His manner of appearance made her think that he'd been sleeping, or lounging on his couch. Her throat was suddenly dry; the image of him asleep, sprawled out, and _bare_ was coming to the forefront of her mind…much to her embarrassment. It seemed that after seeing him that way, about four and a half months ago, would be leaving her with permanent mental images. Of him. Naked.

She gasped then, realizing that she'd been openly gawking at him, and shook her head as if the pictures would fly out her ears. _Bad, Lucy_, she chided silently. Bad, _bad,_ Lucy.

Natsu made a strange face before letting the door open wider. He leaned against the support beam, his muscled, tanned arms folding over his broad chest in a cool manner. "…What are you doing here?" he asked after a beat of silence.

"I, um…" Lucy stammered, clasping her hands behind her back and squeezing them together. "I was just in the neighborhood…thought I'd, maybe, you know…drop by?" If her words were convincing, her tone certainly wasn't—and she could tell that he knew by the way that his dark green eyes narrowed in suspicion and a line formed on his forehead.

"In the neighborhood?" Natsu echoed as his brows lifted. "Luce, I don't know if you've noticed," he said, something akin to a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, "but I live in the middle of the forest."

She blinked. Oh. Yeah. He did live in the middle of a forest…no neighborhood to speak of. Damn, there went her lie—even though it was one of the most commonly used excuses in the book. The blonde chuckled nervously. "O-oh, yeah, that's right…silly me…"

In front of her, Natsu shifted on his feet, looking as though he wanted to reach out to her. "Something wrong? You're acting weird…"

Lucy's heart skipped a beat, her eyes growing wider with each passing second. _Weird_, he'd said. "No! No, nothing's wrong! I just… I…" She hung her head, hands unclasping from behind her back to come around and hug her shoulders. The breath that escaped her sounded weak and defeated. "…Can we talk? I mean, privately?"

Before asking him out on a…date…she had some clarifying to do. She owed him at least that much.

"Uh," Natsu hummed, blinking his surprise, "you wanna come inside?"

"Yeah…" Lucy looked up at him from underneath her eyelashes, hoping to Mavis that she didn't look too embarrassed.

The expression she wore had a strange effect on Natsu. He felt his heart rate double, maybe triple, when she made eye contact from beneath those thick lashes of hers, and from the angle, he could clearly see the shadow on her cheeks created by each individual lash. And it didn't help that her cheeks were tinted a healthy pink…or that she was doing that lip-biting thing again. She seemed to do it a lot lately—biting her lip—and while Natsu had never minded it before, it..._bothered_ him now. But in a good way. Was there a name for a good type of bothering?

…Maybe he was just being weird.

Yeah…he was probably just weird. That was the best explanation. After all, who'd ever heard of a _good_ type of bothering?

The dragonslayer snorted, more at himself than anything else, and blinked repeatedly. He'd zoned out for a little bit, staring right at Lucy the whole time—her face was redder than before. "It's messy," he warned, inclining his head towards the inside of his house. "I know how you like everything clean, like a weirdo, but I didn't know you were coming, so…" Stepping away, and realizing that he'd begun to babble, Natsu ducked his chin and let Lucy step inside.

She came forward hesitantly, casting a small smile. "It's okay. I just want to talk." And then ask him out on a date. Mavis, even in her head it sounded strange…

Without another word, or a glance behind her, Lucy meandered through Natsu's cluttered house—she had to step over piles of unwashed clothes, dirty dishes, and packrat-worthy mounds of junk, but she eventually made her way to his couch where she sat with a grimace. It smelled of mold. Not that it was surprising, really—Natsu wasn't the cleanest of people. Ignoring this fact, and the smell, Lucy began picking at her fingernails, looking pointedly down at her hands.

He walked right past her, seemingly unfazed by the mountains of trash and clutter on the floor, and into the kitchen. He didn't say anything to her.

Lucy abandoned the task of picking at her nails for favor of squeezing her knee caps. The silence that had settled between them was…uncomfortable, to say in the least. She didn't know how to strike up a conversation—without using a terrible ice-breaker, at least—and he seemed as though he was perfectly content with the quiet. From his living room, Lucy could hear the clinking of dishes and she could smell the scent of herbs. He was making tea—a rarity. She didn't think she'd ever seen him make tea. Like, ever.

Natsu was being…civil.

Which was a first in her book—and she had a very long and detailed book. He'd never been civil, really. Nice and charming in his own way when he chose to be, yes, but never civil—too much testosterone and male dominance in him for that.

And it was at this precise point that Lucy realized that while she had tried to assure that nothing would change between the two of them…undoubtedly, something had. The thought made her heart sink.

"I'm sorry," she blurted instinctually.

From inside his kitchen, two cups in his large hands, Natsu stilled; but he didn't turn around.

"You're…mad at me, right?" continued Lucy in a cautious manner. "I understand. I should have told you… In fact, I _wanted_ to tell you. Out of everyone, you're the one I wanted to tell the most." Under her breath, barely audible to even his ears, she added, "Trust me," and closed her eyes. After a pause, she opened her eyes, and though Natsu couldn't see the sincerity on her face, she knew he could hear it in her voice. "You're my best friend…"

Natsu was partially glad that she couldn't see him, because he flinched and grimaced at the term. _Best friend…_ Before, those words had sent a thrill through him, a satisfied rush, knowing that he had the highest title she had to offer. But now…now it wasn't nearly as satisfying. In fact, if he were to be honest with himself, he would have said that it _hurt_ him to hear her call him her best friend. Like a punch to his gut.

…But, why?

He knew he should have been absolutely content with being one of the most important people in her life. Should have been, but, he wasn't. The realization both shocked and unnerved him—he was growing, as Gajeel had grumbled about once or twice, territorial over Lucy's affections. In other words, becoming greedy and needing all of her affections and attentions, and hating the fact that other people had them. People who were tall, tan, and had bleached hair. People like Galahad.

He was…jealous. And not in a good way. He'd been jealous before—over Lucy, in fact, though he was positive that she hadn't known then and still didn't know now—but the emotion had never been so potent that he'd wanted to literally wipe out his competition. Wanted to bludgeon them, rip their hides in half, and then feed the ribbons to ravenous wolves…

"_Jealousy is a dangerous weapon for a dragon to wield,"_ Igneel had told him.

Natsu had never understood why.

…Until now.

And it was because of this, because of this _jealousy_, that he unleashed a soft, throaty growl, though it went unheard by his companion in the next room over. "What about Galahad?" he groused before he could stop himself. As soon as the words slipped from his mouth, like a poison, he want to call them back and then slap himself. Hard. He knew what he sounded like: a pouting child who loathed the idea of sharing his favorite toy.

Lucy's scent spiked, her usually floral smell growing thick with the heady undertone of guilt. "So they were right…" she mumbled to herself, sounding marginally astounded.

Natsu inhaled deeply and leaned against his sink, feeling like a bastard. He hadn't meant to make her feel guilty about anything…

"Galahad… He's a friend," Lucy conceded carefully, as if she didn't want to anger him. "But he's not… He could never…take your place, if that's what you're thinking. He's not you; no one could ever be you. You're Natsu, my best friend, and no one can take that away from you. Ever."

Her words had an instant soothing effect on him, and the tension in his back—that he hadn't even known was present—uncoiled. Just hearing her tell him that he was irreplaceable, that Galahad could never have _his_ spot, made him feel immeasurably better. But there was still that tiny part inside of him that bristled at the knowledge that Galahad was deemed a friend.

"He's…a friend?"

"Yes. Well…" Lucy paused for a brief moment. "I don't know if we're really _friends_…maybe more along the lines of acquaintances, or somewhere in between. I've only known him for four months. _We've_ only known him for four months," she corrected quickly.

The confession appeased him more than it should have, he realized faintly. But he didn't damn well care at the moment, because Lucy had just confirmed that he was still more important than anybody else. More important than Galahad.

But, when he leaned around the corner, his eyes landed on her form and darted to the prominent swell of her stomach. Even from the distance he kept, he could clearly smell the soft scent of life that clung to her body—a scent that he hadn't known how to place until he'd connected the dots. Had he known that what he'd been smelling all those weeks ago in the guild, and on the train to the Waas forest, it probably wouldn't have come as such a shock to him when he'd accidentally eavesdropped on Lucy and Levy. Lucy was pregnant.

…He'd nearly forgotten.

He wasn't the most important male in Lucy's life any longer. Someone else was.

Like a coward, the dragonslayer ducked back into the safety of his kitchen, where Lucy couldn't see him grinding his teeth, and began pouring the freshly brewed tea.

Lucy, still sitting on his moldy-smelling couch, saw the face he made when he turned sharply back into his small kitchen. He still hadn't forgiven her, it seemed. She sighed. "I know, Natsu, I was wrong to keep it from you. Best friends aren't supposed to hide things from each other. But I want to make it up to you, if you'll let me…" Here it was, she thought, all or nothing… "…W-we could…go out, you know… Just the two of us. Like we used to."

There. It was out in the open. She'd extended the invitation, the olive branch.

Now came the worst part… The dreaded few seconds that it took for him to process the request and then reply. Those few seconds felt like an eternity to Lucy, who had closed her eyes so tightly that she thought the skin of her eyelids might rip.

Then, there was the familiar scent of tea, hot steam billowing directly under her nose, and her brown eyes snapped open to see Natsu standing directly in front of her, holding out a cup. His face was neutral. "…Oh, thanks," she murmured and took the warm drink, averting her eyes.

Natsu stepped back and fiddled with his own cup, looking down into the drink. His eyebrows were knitted together, eyes serious, as though he were seriously contemplating something. His voice was soft and low when he said, "Won't _he_ mind?"

"He?" Lucy blinked at him.

Natsu looked up at her from underneath his brows and gave a not-so-subtle flick of his eyes to her stomach.

_Oh_.

Recognition swept through Lucy so swiftly that she almost choked on her own breath. Her hands tightened around her cup. "Oh…oh. Um, no, I don't think he'll mind too much." Lying again. She was doing it again. The knowledge of this twisted her gut and her heart in uncomfortable knots—she hated lying, especially to Natsu, but it was necessary. For now, at least.

Natsu wrung his hands around his cup. It almost felt like he was being given _permission_ to be around Lucy—_his_ Lucy, _his_ partner, someone he'd known longer than any other male had. The throes of jealousy made him grimace again, and when he caught his own reflection in the surface of his drink, it made him blink in surprise. He wasn't being himself; this whole jealousy thing was so unconventional for him. And, after all, he really had no night to claim Lucy as his own.

She wasn't his lover, his mate, or anything in between. She was his friend, his partner, his _nakama_, but she was _not_ _his_ in any way—Lucy did not belong to him, she belonged to someone else. And while that thought strangely left bile in his mouth, he forced himself to bear with it.

"_You're my best friend…"_

Yeah. He was her best friend, and like she'd said, no one could take that away from him. Not Galahad, and certainly not her lover, whoever he was. And that would have to be enough for him. Because he was her best friend, her rock, her partner, and everything else that came with those titles. He was still irreplaceable.

His heart almost felt a bit lighter.

"Sounds like fun, then," he said suddenly, and he watched as Lucy jumped. The look she sent him was one of combined shock, incredulity, and hope—a deadly combination on her sweet face—and one he couldn't help but send back with an equally happy grin. For her sake, he would be happy. "I'm starving, wanna get something to eat?"

But Lucy only gaped at him. "You…you want to hang out?" she asked him with wide eyes.

"Why wouldn't I?" Natsu snorted back at her before mimicking her words, "You're my best friend." And he would have been lying if he said that hearing those words come from his own mouth left the equivalent of a pile of bricks settling in his stomach.

"Well, yeah, but I thought…" She trailed off, her hand lifting as if to help her explain and then falling down limply into her lap. "Never mind," she murmured.

And the soft, tender smile that graced her face was enough to make the bricks in Natsu's stomach evaporate like mist. Why that was, he didn't know, and he didn't care to know. She was happy, and that was all that mattered. After all, wasn't that his mission as her best friend? Make her happy, be there for her, let her lean on him. So far, he'd done a pretty lousy job of it… Antagonizing her, stressing her out, running for the hills when she'd needed him the most… But if he could make her happy by taking her out to eat…well then, hell, he'd do it every day.

Natsu set his cup down on the cluttered table before reaching across it and taking Lucy's to set next to his. He pulled her off of his couch, the action releasing the smell of mold to him—he'd have to have that fixed; mold couldn't possibly be good for pregnant women—and then tugged her towards his front door. "Whatcha wanna get?"

Lucy paused at this, her eyes rolling up to his ceiling as she licked her lips. "Hmm…" she mumbled and a hand flew down to her stomach to rub in small circles—whether the action was subconscious or not, Natsu couldn't tell, but his eyes were glued to her abdomen. "…Something spicy, I think." She completed another circle before patting the tiny swell of her stomach as though she were deciding something. "Yeah, definitely spicy."

Natsu couldn't help but make a disgruntled face at this as he opened the door and stepped outside. Not that he didn't like spicy foods—the heaven's knew that spicy was his favorite, hands down—but, rather, in all his years of knowing her, he'd quickly come to the resolution that Lucy hated spicy food. She _loathed_ it. And while he'd never understood it, he'd let it be—different tastes for different people; Gajeel ate _metal_ after all.

"Luce," he couldn't help but let the familiar endearment slide from his lips, "I thought you hated spicy food…"

Hopping down his steps, she paused in thought, and then looked over her shoulder at him. Her face was a bit flushed, as though she was embarrassed, and she said quietly, "Must be the cravings, I suppose…" Then she clasped her hands behind her back and pranced down the rest of his steps, looking like a carefree child.

Natsu pretended to understand when he nodded, though she didn't see. And while they walked side by side, smiles on both of their faces as though everything was back to normal, he couldn't help but wonder why the idea of Lucy having a taste for spicy foods made him feel so happy.

o0o

If she'd had any doubts that the child inside her wasn't Natsu's, they would be long gone by now, Lucy thought as she bit into another pepper. The burn that she'd hated all her life was now wondrously _pleasant_ to her. She _liked_ the way it made her lips and her throat tingle and itch, she _liked_ the way that it set a fire in the pit of her stomach. And, while it should have alarmed her, this newfound taste for spicy food comforted her.

The baby was all too happy, too. He really liked spicy foods.

"You gonna eat that?" Natsu asked, eyeing the pile of spicy cheese-fries that were on her plate.

Lucy frowned at him. "Hey," she said, "you have your own plate. I'm starving." Pointedly, she dug into her fries again, shoveling in two at once with another slice of jalapeño. She grinned smugly at him as he frowned and bit into his own leg of mutton.

"You're not worried about getting fat or anything?" he muttered around a mouthful of mystery meat, cheeks engorged to the point that Lucy was surprise that they hadn't split in half. He swallowed roughly, throat straining.

Lucy snorted at him, choosing the swallow before answering. Manners, her mother had always said, were what separated humans from common monkeys. "Natsu, I'm pregnant. I'm supposed to gain weight. It's one of the only good things about being pregnant; I can eat as much as I want. It's justifiable now," she mused saucily, eyes aglow with happiness as she plucked another fry and popped it into her mouth.

Lucy had always liked food. But, keeping herself in shape had always been the priority. With that option completely thrown out the window now, there was nothing stopping her from eating as many fries as she wanted. And that made for one very happy Lucy Heartfilia.

Natsu stared at her longingly. For some reason, the sight of her eating spicy food, and loving it, made him feel…_happy_. Maybe it was because some part of him longed to know that they still had things in common nowadays. Or, maybe it was just that the sight of her eating excited him—she didn't know it, but when she ate, she tended to be unnecessarily erotic about it. Not that Natsu particularly minded or anything.

But, the sight of her plump, redden-from-spices lips wrapping around one fry at a time…and then her chewing so slowly in made him ache to watch, and then her swallowing… It was practically torture. Torture, but a good torture, nonetheless. He could watch her all day and never get bored, he thought. Although, some part of him knew that it was slightly creepy to think that way.

Had she known that he thought that, she probably would have hit him over the head. Like the good old days. In fact, he kind of missed those times when she would randomly hit him for doing something. He pondered on this for a brief moment.

"Hey, Luce…will you hit me?"

Lucy spluttered and coughed into her food, blinking back up at him like she thought he was insane. Which, he supposed, he probably was at this point. Lucy was driving him completely bat-guano crazy, giving him all these unknown feelings that he didn't know how to interpret.

"_What?_" she stuttered back, caramel eyes wide in utter bafflement. "What are you, some sort of masochist?" Lucy shook her head and went back to eating, muttering under her breath to herself.

Natsu had never asked her to _hit_ him before…he typically asked her to _stop_ hitting him. The weirdo. But, as she glanced up at him from underneath her eyelashes and took note of the confused, distant look in his eyes, she sighed. Well, if he wanted to be hit, then so be it.

Lucy reached across the table and bopped him once on the head with the palm of her hand. It wasn't too hard, or too soft, but Natsu jumped like she had poked him with a live wire. Constricted emotions passed over his face so quickly that Lucy had a hard time catching them all, but, his mouth slowly spread into a wide grin, and he laughed.

She sighed. Well, he was still as weird as ever. Shaking her head with a smile, Lucy went back to her spicy cheese-fries with renewed gusto, relishing the burn they left behind in her mouth.

Natsu, again, was watching. And this time, he grinned.

Things felt as right as they could be at the moment. Just the two of them, here, eating and laughing, and acting like two best friends should.

If only the good things lasted.

* * *

_**Finally! Some NaLu going on! Aren't they so cute? Next time! Chapter 26: The Reconsideration**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED: **__abbeyabbey__, Natsu Dragneel, Pamelia Cauas, ChaoticChild, iLikeCookies12, Xx4evaanimexX, DD42, theformulaofpudding, Venadrill, animegirl3226, X-StarMaidenGazer-X, European Mutt, TooLazyToLogIn, KawaiiDangoNeko, chibiininja, Devils pawn, LuvlyLadyLexi, Marshmellow Master, Pheonix from fire, Pikas, natsu, Caelith, QueenOfTheives, Octobersfall, pandasxpocky, Alice Harkey, Tabs Team, Guest, courtneylynn222, KristyKakes, SunsetRika, amkhe, firekeytothegoldenlock, nessa, inukagome9193, Ryujin65, ms incomprehensible, Kitsuri Mizuka, nalu93, chandlerra64, LilyAlina, Demon-Art-Lover1, DragonPrincessXx, KHLostEmpress, Reika Natsuki, leoslady4ever, Collaborative Lady, Wasabi-kun, Tiger90991, LoveIsARose, Elphaba818, WolfGirlHowlsAtMoon, QueenP19, Sinares, Kohryu, Guest, llulbabelle, shandulah84, ShinyMagikarp, TVfreak7, KawaiiOdango, Danny Phantom Fan 1, Person, GuiltyCrown09, Jean2, Disappear500, Cat Goliath, SeraphChimera, The Keeper of Worlds, TheLostHope, Guest, Please _

**_Thanks to all of you who wished my brother well! He's doing better :) Still can't walk because of nerve damage, but, hopefully that'll change once his cast comes off and he starts physical therapy! Love and adore all of you!_**

**_Review?_**


	26. The Reconsideration

_**Yay! Updating on schedule today! :D Parents are back from their cruise, and they brought me plenty of presents as compensation. I think I can forgive them now... Maybe. Anyway, my brother is doing well, so thanks for all of the support you guys give! It means a lot :) He should be getting his new cast on Wednesday and then he might be able to go to school :) He actually told me the other day that he misses going to school...that's when you know a kid is sick of staying at home all day, every day.**_

_**On another note, I got my prom dress today! Super excited! I'll be posting a picture of it on my tumblr in a little while if you guys are curious. And if you are curious, let me know what you think. I need help picking out shoes...ugh, I'm hopeless!**_

_**Special shout out to **__Briarthorne__ **for being the 900th reviewer! I can't believe we're almost to 1,000... I think I just might have a conniption fit the day that happens...**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Reconsideration**_

* * *

Lucy let her magazine fall onto her chest with a lazy, content sigh. The sentences on the pages were nothing but simple, nonsensical words to her right now; she couldn't concentrate. She hadn't been able to since the night before when she and Natsu had actually gone out, like a couple, for dinner. It'd been perfect—or, as near to perfect as she would allow her mind to think of it. Romantic sunset overhead, just the two of them at an outdoor table, eating and laughing and smiling. It had been like they were making up for all the lost time in a single hour. Natsu had been actually kind of…charming. Granted, in his own way—grinning broadly, asking her meaningless questions…and asking her to hit him.

Sure, he'd spit food on her at least twice and set the table cloth on fire in his gusto—giving the poor waiter grey hairs well before his years—but she'd only laughed with good humor. After they'd put out the fire and assured the restaurant that they'd leave extra money for the damages in the tip, of course. Even looking on it back now, she found it hard to be mad at him; but, it might have been just the hormones. She'd been feeling extra happy since she'd woke up this morning for no reason—other than the date; the effects of which, should have worn off during the night while she'd slept.

But, whatever the reason, Lucy was happy. For once. She was as happy as a clam at high tide, as her late mother would have said—though Lucy still had no idea _why_ clams would be happy when the tide was high. That was beside the point, though.

Picking up her magazine again with a hum, Lucy skimmed its contents. It was a maternal magazine, of course, as she'd been reading nothing but prenatal booklets and articles for the past month or so. At the beginning of the page, there was a medium-sized picture that showed a fetus in the womb. Its arms and legs were easily identifiable, long and slender, and there were even humanistic facial features, much to Lucy's surprise. For a while now, all of the pictures had shown little tadpole-like things with webbed fingers and toes, not looking anything like a baby. So, now, she was utterly fascinated. If she was about right, then her baby was around fourteen and a half centimeters long from crown to rump, and weighed about 240 grams. That was a lot for such a tiny bump, she thought as her hands travelled down to stroke the swell.

He was probably swallowing now, and his nerve cells for the five senses—taste, hearing, touch, sight, and smell—were being developed, as stated in the fine print.

Wow.

He was so advanced already. And, according to the article, he would probably be able to hear her voice soon. Like, really _hear_ it.

That was incredible. Not so long ago, she'd been in denial of the fact that there was another living being inside her, growing and thriving, but now…now she found it impossibly amazing.

And her only thought was: _when will I be able to feel him move?_ She'd heard that it happened right around now, around eighteen to twenty weeks, and she was right in the middle at nineteen. Just two weeks away from the midpoint of the journey, and that in itself was astounding. Granted she'd been three months pregnant when she first found out, but still… Already almost halfway? Time seemed to flow so fast now that she was looking back on it. Would the rest of the months pass as quickly? Part of her hoped so—some of the side effects were exactly pleasant—and another part of her hoped not—she wanted to enjoy this sensation of motherhood in its prime.

And, of course, there was the fact that she did need to inform Natsu at some point. Preferably sometime soon—after all, they were on good terms now so there was nothing really holding her back. Other than her fear of rejection, of course. But that fear of hers would be conquered relatively soon, she was sure. In fact, she was contemplating about telling him after the baby shower; which was just next week.

She was going to do it, for better or for worse. He had to know—it was his right. As her best friend, as her sort-of mate, as her _nakama_, and as the father of her child. Even if he decided that he didn't want them—and Lucy's heart broke at the thought—she would go through with it, and if he wanted nothing to do with his son or daughter, then she would do it all alone. This was her resolve, her duty as not only a woman, but as a soon-to-be mother.

"Let's hope for the best, then, ne?" she murmured softly to her stomach, poking it with a single finger. "If nothing else, I'll always want you…" Her words were much too solemn for the cheery feelings that had been bubbling inside of her for the better part of the morning, so she sighed, and then smiled again.

Stay happy; that was her goal. Stressing out was bad for her health, and for the baby's health, too. Stay positive, stay healthy, and stay away from stressers; the top three goals for her right now. And she could do that—she'd been doing fine for the fair portion of the day. In fact, she'd been relaxed enough to even give herself a pedicure just a half hour ago—Mavis knew her feet had needed it; her heels were rough and calloused from months of wear and tear and her toenails had been simply atrocious, all uneven and chipped on the edges. Of course, though, she hadn't painted her toenails, as the fumes were bad for her body and the baby now, but giving herself a foot massage had been like taking one small step into paradise.

Her feet had been killing her lately; ankles being swollen most mornings. So a good foot rub had done wonders. But, she was positive it would have been at least _ten_ _times_ better had someone else been doing the rubbing. There was just something about having someone other than herself massage her feet… Sure, she'd always done a pretty damn good job, but the massages had always been better at the nail salon, or even when Levy had so graciously decided to initiate a mani-pedi ritual.

Bah. Probably just left-over remnants of the spoiled heiress she used to be. After her mother had died, and her father had holed himself up in his study, Lucy had actually gone to the maids or even the butlers sometimes and asked for a massage on the rougher days—they'd always been more than happy to oblige.

And now that she was thinking about it, another foot massage sounded pretty good; pretty _damn_ good… Forget the fact that she'd given herself one little more than half an hour ago; her feet were extra achy after walking around for so long the day before. Cobblestone streets were never kind to boot-clad feet, as she'd always known. And that went doubly for pregnant women.

So, Lucy sat up and discarded her magazine to place one of her feet in her lap. Just as she began, though, her thumbs barely gracing the arch of her foot, a knock sounded on her front door and she sighed in resignation. Her foot massage could wait, she supposed. After all, she'd invited Natsu over—he came first before foot massages. Indubitably. Besides…she could probably get him to do it for her with the right bait, anyway. Like the promise of food. The thought made her grin.

Lucy giggled as she rose from her couch and skipped to the door, her aching feet in the back of her mind for now. Her enthusiasm was short lived, however, when she opened the door to find not Natsu, but Galahad standing on her front step, looking suave as usual. The giggles left her body, that bubbling feeling inside her chest simmering, and she let herself smile uneasily. "Oh…um, hi," she said awkwardly.

The truth was that she and Galahad hadn't had contact since his rather abrupt and out of the blue confession. It was mostly because Lucy had willed herself to _not_ see him. After all, she had no idea what to say to him now, or how to act around him since he was basically trying to seduce her. Or as he'd said, _make her fall in love with him._ Though, she wasn't sure which was worse—seducing, or forcing her to fall in love?

The illusionist before her leaned on the side of her doorframe, a quirk to his lips to show for his amusement. "Expecting someone this time, were you?" His eyes raked pointedly over her properly dressed form.

"Oh, um, no…not really," babbled Lucy, the half-lie slipping off her tongue with alarming ease. Subconsciously, though, her hands reached down to tug at the hems of her blouse and fiddle with the waistband of her pants. She wasn't exactly dressed up, but she certainly wasn't in frumpy cat-lady mode as he'd seen before, either. "Come inside." The blonde waved him in, stepping aside while she kept her eyes averted.

Natsu was supposed to be coming over, and relatively soon at that—as confirmed when she stole a quick glance at the clock hanging on her wall. She would have to get Galahad to leave before then. Lucy wasn't blind; she knew that the two males, while they hadn't exactly been friendly before the mission to Waas, were now enemies. Even the blind, dumb and deaf could tell. There was just this…aura around the two of them when they were in the same room together, and Lucy wasn't too eager to push to find out what would happen if that aura was unleashed. Bad things, that was for sure. Bad things.

"So…" Lucy closed the door behind him. "What's up?" She really hoped that she wasn't coming off as too nonchalant—she didn't want him to get the idea that barging in like this was okay. Because, Mavis knew that enough people from the guild invaded her privacy on a regular basis.

"Nothing, really," he answered swiftly, seating himself on the couch that she had been splayed across just moments before.

Lucy felt herself frowning. She'd wanted to rub her feet and sit on the couch… But, whatever, she decided. Taking a seat in the chair opposite her couch, Lucy sat cross-legged. "Nothing at all?" she asked as she took her right foot and began kneading in small circles.

Galahad's eyes flashed to her rubbing hands briefly before dragging back up to her face. "Well, I suppose I just wanted to see you." He was as blunt as ever, it seemed. "And I still have to uphold on my promise."

Lucy paused, a question on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it back in the next second. Obviously, he was referring to that whole bit about making her fall in love with him. Her massaging hands increased in pace, and the circles she pressed into the heel of her foot with her thumbs grew larger. "…Oh," she muttered lowly, eyeing her hands and foot with mock-concentration.

A beat passed between the two of them then, Galahad staring at her with an impassive, enigmatic glimmer in his eyes. And as she'd learned, such a look from him never boded well. "…Are your feet sore?" he questioned in an unusually tender voice.

She blinked back at him, her hands falling away. "Yeah," she said. "I was walking around a lot yesterday and my ankles and feet are a bit swollen."

She didn't know how to respond to the glint of humor in his eyes, or the twitch of his lip. And she honestly didn't know what to do when he suddenly stood before her, knelt on the floor, and then took her right foot into his large, but strangely soft, hands. Her mouth didn't seem to work anymore when he looked up at her from beneath his brows, amusement radiating off of him.

Only when he started to slowly dig his thumbs into the arch of her foot did she demand, "What are you doing?" Lucy almost attempted to yank her foot back, but his smooth touch instantly soothed her violent drawback.

"I was taught," Galahad said in a soft, polished voice, "to always attend to a woman's needs." And that was it.

She wanted to question him about it, wondering why he was suddenly being so cryptic—it wasn't usually in his character—but his hands quickly made her forget. Lucy's mouth dropped open with a _pop_ as he slowly, sweetly, caressed her aching foot, using the pads of his thumbs to rub circles into the soft flesh. The only thought in the back of her head was that she'd been right. It was ten, no, _twenty_ times better when someone else was doing the massaging.

When a pleased groan slipped from her mouth, Lucy felt her spine stiffen and was sure that she was red up to her ears. _Embarrassing_, she thought, but, for once, Galahad made no notion as though he'd even heard the little sound. And it piqued her interest. He was usually so quick to pick up on her expressions and sounds, finding them amusing in some way or another. But, now, he was working away with so swift a touch, and a blank face as though his mind wasn't really in it.

"You're thinking about something," Lucy murmured, almost shocked when he lifted his chin to make eye contact. The corner of his lip quirked, the beginnings of an all too familiar smirk.

"And you're perceptive, as usual." His smirk grew as did the intensity of the massage, and his hands moved up to cup her ankle. His fingers were even softer on her tender skin when he said, "Just nostalgia, I suppose."

"You gave foot massages a lot, then?" Half of Lucy was kidding—her witty and sarcastic side—and the other half was actually serious—her perceptive and inquisitive side. There was no way that a man could give such a bone-melting massage without having previous experience. No way in the seven hells. Not even the staff at the massage parlor that she and Levy frequented had his skills.

Galahad chuckled, the sound low in his throat, and he said, "Yes, I did. Quite often, actually." She wasn't sure of the look that crossed her face—it had to be one of confusion, curiosity and apprehension—but he glanced upwards at her and then smirked again. "I believe I told you that I worked as a host for a while," he told her, a lilt in his voice that suggested teasing, but his tone was factual.

"…You did." Lucy nodded.

"I worked that job for a few years, and in that short amount of time, I learned quite a bit about how to please a woman. More than most men could ever hope to know."

The second meaning didn't go unnoticed by the blonde and her insides churned. He hadn't just worked as a _host_…serving drinks, making pleasantries, sitting there and forcing himself to be good company. She knew that sometimes, when hosts were exceeding in their job, they took their business to the streets, looking for more income.

Her voice was small and hesitant when she asked, "Then…you also worked as…?"

"A male prostitute, yes." His tone was unbidden, his face carefully neutral, as though he didn't care to notice her reaction. "I needed the money in order to come down to Magnolia, and as you know, train tickets alone can cost a pretty penny. Let alone a house and the expenses that come with that."

Lucy felt her throat close up and she had to fight back the urge to pull her foot free from his hands. So…he'd gone to prostitution in order to come to Magnolia…to see _her_. She…wasn't sure how she felt about that. Horror, though, seemed to top everything else, and her face slowly morphed into a fitting show of the emotion. "_Why?_" Her voice cracked.

As though he thought this was funny, he chuckled. "I told you; to come to Magnolia."

"No. Why…_that?_"

"Ah, being a host and such?" He shrugged. "In the mountains, jobs are limited—there's few jobs to really do unless you want to travel down to the cities every day. I couldn't afford to do that, and the only job that I could find that would pay enough in such a short amount of time was to work as a host." His hands grew slower as he continued, "But, even that wasn't enough. I was too impatient—didn't want to wait for so long before I could meet you. And in the mountains, the ladies get awfully bored sitting around all day." His eyes lifted to meet hers, and instead of solemnity, she found a twinkle there.

Suddenly, his behavior made sense to her. That over-confident swagger he had when he walked, the sultry air he carried around him, that suave feel when he talked—he'd been _conditioned_ to act that way around women. For two whole years. After such a long time of putting up a front around women, she knew that it was probably impossible for him to just suddenly up and leave behind the act; especially when the act worked and resulted in the attention he'd grown to crave.

"Having second thoughts now?"

Lucy blinked down at him again, realizing that her mouth had twisted into a frown. She quickly covered it up and said, "No. Just thinking." Redefining him as a person, reevaluating him entirely. "But," she whispered softly, "why would you tell me…?"

_Why would you tell me about something so personal?_

"If I want you to fall in love with me, you have to know me first. The real me. Isn't that correct?" he mused, not at all fazed by her curiosity. "It would hardly be fair of me to ask you to fall in love with the better half alone. No secrets."

He was kind of a romantic, like Erza, Lucy realized then. Believing in no secrets, hiding nothing from his important person, revealing old scars and ugly mistakes. Completely unashamed of it all. Courage—he had a lot of it. And that was something that she sorely lacked right now.

"Yeah…" Lucy murmured, more to herself than him. "Not fair at all…"

Galahad released her foot then, reaching for the other one, and Lucy let him do so without a fight. He was amazing with his hands…and now she knew why. He'd had practice. _Lots_ of practice. It was something he embraced, she now knew, and reveled in as a part of his past—but not his future. He really was a lot different than her first impression—arrogant, vain and self-serving. In reality, he was naïve in his own way, maybe even a little desperate, chasing after the things he truly wanted with no restraints.

Again, that took a lot of courage on his part.

…Maybe he really wasn't so bad, after all. Just used and worn and a little lost in the world. Not so different from herself, or anyone else in Fairy Tail.

"…Thanks," she said simply. And she hoped that he knew that she wasn't only thanking him for the foot massage.

He looked back up at her, a familiar glint in his eyes. "You're welcome." And his voice was warm and lovely, through years of practice.

Now, Lucy wasn't sure if the peaceful atmosphere would have lasted—if he would have continued on in silence and then left without saying much else—but she would never get to find out. Because, suddenly, her door was being flung wide open, and sandals were stomping on her wooden floors. A familiar sound to her, considering that she heard it nearly every day, and the voice was equally familiar.

"Hey, Luce, how come I smell…?" Natsu stepped inside her house, a confused look on his face, his nose scrunched up as he sniffed. But, when his head swiveled to the right, and he saw Galahad kneeling, Lucy's left foot held carefully in his tan hands, the confusion quickly melted into tension and anger. Natsu shut the door behind him, taking a threatening step forward. "Oi," he growled, "what are you doing here?"

"Natsu…" Lucy's tone had a hint of warning laced underneath and her brown eyes flashed worriedly to Galahad.

He kept a smirk on his face, his hands still cradling her foot, but he said nothing to the dragonslayer.

Eventually, Natsu spoke again. "I thought I told you to stay away from Lucy…"

And Lucy's eyes widened. He'd done _what?_ _Threatened_ Galahad? _Natsu?_ Now, Natsu had threatened a lot of people in his day, mostly for the sake of protecting Lucy, and she knew that. While sometimes she did not like it, she accepted it; it was just a part of who he was. But, he had never, ever threatened any of his _nakama_. Not seriously, anyway—Gray and Gajeel didn't count, seeing as they were his rivals. And that definitely wasn't a good sign, not by a long shot. Natsu always cared deeply for his _nakama_, no matter what—Lucy was proof of that fact alone. But he was so openly hostile towards Galahad that it left shivers racing down her spine.

"Natsu," Lucy tried, her voice attempting to be soothing, "it's okay. He was just giving me a foot massage."

He was not, however, soothed in any way. In fact, his anger seemed to flare and he turned a heated glower on Galahad that would have melted him had he not been so impassive.

Another terse second ticked by, Lucy silently wondering if one of the males would suddenly lunge at the other and effectively destroy her apartment. And then, finally, Galahad released a resigned sigh, and drew his hands back from her still-aching foot. "I should be going, now." He stood upright. "You should stay off your feet, Lucy," he drawled out, her name falling from his lips like gold and honey. Then, he shouldered his way past Natsu, his shoulders straight and his gaze steady, opened the door, and left without another word.

Natsu was staring after him, something feral in his eyes that was usually reserved for battle.

It was just her and Natsu now, Lucy thought nervously. Would he be angry with her? Some part of her recalled the whole _mate guarding_ thing, but, it had been so long since…well…so it shouldn't have been in effect still. Right?

She honestly didn't know, but when she saw him half-lunge, as if he was going to follow Galahad, she did know that she had to do something. Fast. Keep him from running off and causing trouble.

"Hey," she said, calling for his attention. His gaze snapped obediently to hers, the anger in the depths of his eyes eventually fading and mixing with what she easily deciphered as concern.

It took him a while to ease away from the door and unclench his fists, but he did it eventually. "Your feet hurt?" was all he asked as he ambled closer, standing in front of her with his arms crossed across his broadened chest. Green eyes were dark, still obviously battling the urge to chase after Galahad, and his lips were drawn tight, a thin line—but there _was_ concern underneath of it all, somewhere.

Lucy could only nod and look down as her hands twiddled. "We walked a lot yesterday… I didn't think that it'd be that bad, you know? But when I woke up this morning, my ankles and feet were swollen to the size of tennis balls." She looked back up at him hesitantly, almost pleadingly.

Guilt crossed his face then, making his mouth shift into a half-frown. "He didn't…touch you, did he?" he suddenly asked.

"Touch me?" she echoed, lifting a single brow. "Natsu, he was giving me a _foot_ _massage_…" Of course he'd touched her, but just her foot. Nothing else. "It helps the swelling go down so that I can walk without cringing at every step," she said rather dryly with a roll of her eyes.

Natsu looked down at her feet. They really were swollen, her ankles almost looking like small tennis balls. And it was kind of his fault—for making her walk so much the day before. He should have just picked a restaurant closer to his house instead of insisting that they walk halfway into town to eat… Again, guilt stabbed through him. He hadn't meant for her feet to swell up like that—he'd had no idea. But the fact that he was responsible was unchangeable, he knew, and determination coated his features.

If she needed a foot massage, then fine. He would give her a foot massage. Him. Not Galahad.

As suddenly as he'd stormed through her front door, Natsu Dragneel was sitting on the floor in front of her and scooping up the left foot that had been abandoned. Lucy squeaked at him, squirming in her chair before settling. His hands were calloused from years of scuffles and brawls, but they were warm, and she shivered at the contact. "Did he touch you here?" His hands engulfed her small foot, running the pads of his fingers over her heel and arch before gracing her toes.

Had the atmosphere not been laden with sudden tension, Lucy would have giggled. Her feet were actually really ticklish. Instead, she shuddered, and whispered, "Yes…"

"And here?" Natsu's fingers trailed up to her swollen ankle.

Lucy nodded.

A strange sound came from the back of Natsu's throat then, sounding like a snort and a grunt combined, and Lucy realized that it was an _embarrassed_ sort of sound. "I…" he started unsurely and letting his brows furrow. "I've never really given anyone a massage before…so…" he trailed off, looking quite sheepish as he blinked up at her.

"That's okay," Lucy said. She smiled down at him, a strange feeling blooming in her chest. "You don't have to." She could do it herself if she had to, but, if he wanted to…then she certainly wasn't going to stop him. His hands were so _warm_. And though they were calloused, his touches were so tender and soft, as though he was being extra careful.

Natsu frowned again. His eyes were stormy. "…I don't like it when he touches you." His hands began kneading into her aching foot, warm heat engulfing the pain and making it fade faster. It made her almost forget the possessive sound to his voice. "It…makes me mad for some reason. So…if you need someone to rub your feet… I mean, I can…if you don't mind…" he stumbled awkwardly, sounding much more like the dragonslayer she knew and loved than the jealous and angry person he'd been as of late. Natsu's lean hands covered her foot, his thumbs tracing the balls of her feet and rubbing meticulously.

Lucy, above him, sighed in content. Sure, Galahad had the technique, but Natsu had the advantage of heat… "Yeah," she breathed to him, boneless. "I don't mind." She really didn't.

Natsu, seeing her melt into the chair, felt this feeling, almost like pride, floor him. That day, he took the advantage to slowly, but surely, erase Galahad's smell from her and her apartment entirely, brandishing the place with his own scent in order to satisfy the selfish desires in his heart. And he couldn't have been happier to do so.

* * *

_**Galahad's past revealed... Natsu's jealous? And he's having feelings?! Next time! Chapter 27: The Shower  
**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:**__ Monarchy of a Fangirl, GoldenKitty, Disappear500, DragonPrincessXx, Caelith, Kitsuri Mizuka, Ryuu no Senshi, Jason, obitoo, amkhe, CelineFullbuster, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, ChaoticChild, nessa, rawrryy69, Guest, Wasabi-kun, FullMoon'sCat-elf, Cat Goliath, iLikeCookies12, the fairy elf, Pamelia__Cauas, Sinares, NyankoSenpai, NaLu, REDemption Love and Lies, Yukina, leoslady4ever, DD42, Alice Harkey, Elphaba818, Kohryu, theformulaofpudding, Reversus12, msincomprehensible, E-Anonymous, QueenP19, Person, AngelsFairyTail, Venadrill, Briarthorne, FallingAngelOh-Lab, pandasxpocky, shandulah84, LuvlyLadyLexi, GuiltyCrown09, kuteluver, KawaiiOdango, mixthealphabet, Catwho, Reika Natsuki, KristyKakes, Guest, hundefrau, ghostbones, The Keeper of Worlds, LoveIsARose, maglin, wakamehime530, HalfChaos, Danny Phantom Fan1, Zeta Marz, Tiger90991, KHLostEmpress, Guest _

**_Lots of you left such encouraging and nice reviews that my insides were a little puddle of goo. I love you guys :)_**

**_Yukina_****_:_**_I'm flattered that both you and __your brother adore this story __so much, really! It makes me so happy :D As for Galahad...well...I have plans for him...muahaha._

**_DD42:_**_Thank you :) I'm honored to have your respect :D Things have settled down for the most part now, so hopefully I can still update on the schedule! Thanks for being so supportive of me!_


	27. The Shower

_**OMG. DAT NALU IN CHAPPIE 331. I think my heart may have exploded... And to the people who thought the fanservice was "disgusting and unnecessary", well, I say to you...this is FAIRY TAIL. That was no more than the usual fanservice. And it obviously wasn't unnecessary, because Lucy somehow gave Natsu an idea with her nakedness... *le sigh* Poor Mashima-sensei...he just can't win with some people, ne?**_

_**Anyway. So, guys, I just woke up and I'm posting this before I go back to bed. Yesterday I had State Solo and Ensemble (got my fourth 1 on a level 5 piece for those of you who know what S&E is :D), and I also had prom... So, basically, I had my hair appointment at 11, which didn't finish till 1, drove 45 minutes to get to the college where I perform at 2:20, left there at 3, got back to my friend's house at 4:30 where I got ready for prom, party from 5-7:30, prom from 8-12 (AM), after-prom party from 12-4:45 (AM)... So, I got home this morning at 5, and then I had to take all the stupid pins out of my hair, so I didn't get to bed till 6:30 this morning and I just... Ugh. I need sleep. So tired.  
**_

_**Anybody else's day just as crazy?**_

_**Special shout out to **__xEhyeh-Asher-Ehyehx_**_ for being the 950th reviewer and SUPER special shout out to _**_creastirion45 __**FOR BEING THE 1,OOOTH REVIEWER! I've finally met my goal! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far!**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Shower**_

* * *

"Hmm, move that streamer a little to the right…just a little more… Oh, wait, that's too much! Just to the left now…right there! Perfect." Levy nodded at her handy work, giving Evergreen a giant grin and a thumbs up, to which the self-proclaimed fairy queen snorted and tossed her hair flamboyantly. Then, the bluenette paused with a frown, bringing a hand up to rub her chin contemplatively. "Ne, Erza-san," she said, turning to Fairy Tail's Titania, "do you think that it's a little bit crooked? The right end looks a bit higher than the left… Maybe it's just me."

Erza, her plated arms crossed over her bosom, angled her head and squinted. "It appears as if the left is lower than the right."

"…I just said that," Levy deadpanned.

Erza frowned. "No, you said that – "

"Okay, okay," Mirajane chimed, interrupting the small disagreement before it had a chance to grow. Today, she was determined to nip any and all potential spats in the bud. "The streamers look wonderful. Fantastic job, Levy and Ever." The barmaid smiled sweetly as she clapped her hands in a small applause.

"Of course it looks fantastic," Evergreen mused saucily. "I put them all up, after all."

Levy, her golden eyes rolling, huffed. "And I _made_ them," she grumbled under her breath, lowly enough so that Evergreen couldn't hear.

"Mira-san's right," Lucy said, smiling, as she came up from behind her best friends. "It looks amazing! Better than I could have ever imagined." The celestial mage let her gaze sweep around the guild hall, drinking in the sight of their hard work. Or, rather, everyone _else's_ hard work—no one had let Lucy participate in the decorating for fear that she would hurt herself.

It was like they were all afraid that now she was pregnant, she would suddenly trip over her own two feet and wind up in the hospital. She'd never been particularly clumsy, even when going through her awkward and gawky stage during her tween years, but now it seemed as though they were _expecting_ her to fall over the place.

And while that fact initially frustrated her—actually, it _still_ frustrated her—she had to hand it to the women of Fairy Tail; they sure knew how to decorate for a party.

Colorful streamers, courtesy of Levy and her solid script magic, hung from the ceiling and draped across every corner, creating a rainbow spider web. Equally vibrant balloons were placed strategically in clumps throughout the hall with ribbons and confetti tying them together. The long table in the back was piled high with sweets of all kind—cakes, fruits, pastries—and Lucy could tell that Erza was having a hard time mollifying her sweet tooth; so far, Erza had only swiped two pastries, an astonishing feat for the swordswoman. Behind that table, was a _mountain_ of presents, and above it…was a banner that read, _Congratulations, Lucy!_

It truly was a beautiful sight to behold. One that Lucy had previously thought she wouldn't ever get to see; subconsciously, she'd convinced herself that she probably didn't need one because no one would want to have anything to do with her. But…here they were, setting presents and tying bows for her.

All of it was thanks to her friends, her _nakama_.

"Really," Lucy murmured, blinking blurring eyes. "Amazing."

"Don't go getting all teary-eyed on us now," Cana chuckled, draping an arm over her blonde friend's shoulders. "You haven't even opened the presents yet." She nodded to the back of the room towards the pile that was threatening to keel over any second.

"Lucy-san will love Juvia's present," Juvia cooed as she clasped her hands together, practically swooning on her feet. "Gray-sama helped choose it." The water mage giggled excitedly, dark blue eyes lighting up with joy as a wistful smile spread on her lips.

"Ah, I couldn't rely on Al-kun to help pick out a present." Bisca, with an amused smile, shook her head. "He's terrible at picking out gifts, you know? I had to help him pick out a present for Asuka's birthday last year," she chuckled.

"Eh? I never would have thought so. He always seems so attentive, Bisca-san," Levy said.

"Oh, he is," Bisca assured, waving a dismissive hand with a giggle. "That's the thing, though. He picks out so many things that are perfect and then can't decide on just _one_ present—if it weren't for me, he'd spoil our daughter rotten with his indecision." The older woman laughed again, her dark eyes glazing over as if she were reliving the memories.

Lucy couldn't help but smile. And a part of her wondered…would she be able to have that kind of mundane happiness? It sounded so nice—and her inner romantic couldn't help but crave that unyieldingly-boring sweetness of regular family life. She'd never really had a regular family life—not one that she could remember well, at least—so maybe that was why she wanted it so badly. The only question was…would Natsu be willing to surrender his future for the cause? She'd been going back and forth about it for months now…and she'd made up her mind to tell him after the shower.

For better or for worse.

It was just a matter if he accepted it or not.

"…ne, Lucy?"

Lucy blinked. "Huh?" she mumbled, glancing at her small circle of friends as they smiled at her.

"She _said_," Levy began, eyes pointedly flashing to Erza, "that it's about time to start, ne?"

Flushing, the blonde stuttered, "Oh, um, right. Yep, sounds good to me." She, anxiously, twirled a lock of her hair around her index finger and let her other hand stray down to her growing stomach. It was still smaller than most pregnant women would be at this stage, but, Bisca had assured her that it was different for every woman.

Besides, Lucy had read that the first-born baby tended to be the lightest.

…Not that she was planning to have more children at this point. That was nowhere _near_ in the future.

"Alright, girls!" Mira announced, clapping her hands in order to ask for silence. The guild hall quieted immediately, much unlike when the rowdy men were present; it was a welcome reaction—neither Cana nor Erza had to raise their voices. "Now that everything's set up…let's get started!"

A chorus of clapping and laughing resounded in the hall, and Lucy couldn't help but laugh along with rosy cheeks.

"To start us off," Mira said with a grin, "I thought we could play a game. It might be hard for some of you, but for others," and her eyes discreetly dragged to Bisca with a twinkle in their depths, "it might be a little bit easier."

Lucy felt her brows rising to her hairline. While she'd been part of the planning committee—it was only right as the mother-to-be, after all—she hadn't been allowed to peek at the list that the other girls had come up with for game-ideas. After each girl had submitted one game that they'd wanted to play, Levy and Mirajane had been the ones to make the final decisions. And, judging by the smug look on Levy's face, it was going to be a rather hard game.

Levy liked hard games.

"Alright, so gather around in a circle," the barmaid instructed, waving everybody inward. "Grab a chair and sit down. It's not an active game."

Lucy held in a sigh of relief. Her level of activity had decreased as of late—swollen feet were proving to be very difficult to ignore during a workout. When she approached the quickly forming circle, Lisanna, with a smile on her lips, offered Lucy her seat, to which the celestial mage took with a thanks and another exhale of relief. The rest of the girls were settled in not long after, and with a quick sweep of her eyes, Lucy estimated that around twelve or thirteen were present for the baby shower. It seemed like a small number, but when it was taken into consideration that there were few women in Fairy Tail to begin with, it shocked Lucy all the same. The few women who hadn't been able to make it had still left gifts, too, much to Lucy's surprise.

"Ahem," Mira coughed, "now, time to lay down the rules! The game is simple—Nursery Rhyme Pop Quiz! We'll go around in a circle and I'll ask you each a question about common nursery rhymes. But, the thing is, you only have thirty seconds to answer! If you answer wrong, or if you exceed the time limit, you lose. The last girl standing, or, in this case, sitting, wins this beautiful," and Mira waved behind her to the food table where a wrapped basket sat, "_prize!_"

Echoes of excitement rounded before Erza, her brows drawing down over darkened eyes, said, "So, it's a competition?"

Then, the other girls blanched. It wasn't a wise idea to rouse the fighting spirit of the single most competitive woman of Fairy Tail, they knew. When Erza had it in her mind that she would win, she refused to lose. Absolutely refused—Erza was as stubborn as she was strong; and that was saying something.

And Mira, even knowing this, let a bright smile appear on her face. "Yes!" she said.

"Alright. I won't lose!" Erza promised as she eyed each one of her competitors, even Lucy. "Sorry, Lucy," she apologized, looking almost smug, "I won't go easy on you."

Despite the arrogant tone in her friend's voice, Lucy laughed. "Good. Wouldn't have it any other way. I happen to know my nursery rhymes quite well."

Her late mother had kept a thick book filled with rhymes and poems. And while she'd been alive, Layla had read them to Lucy every night before bed; a nightly ritual between the two of them. Even after the death of her mother, though, Lucy had read them religiously for years afterwards; it had kind of been like holding onto a connection with Layla. Lucy still had the thick book in her closet on the top-most shelf, slowly collecting dust; but, a part of her supposed that she would be wiping it all away soon enough.

And strangely…the thought made her happy.

"Okay, let's get started. We'll start with you, Juvia," Mira said, turning to the water mage who straightened in her seat at the mention of her name.

"Juvia is ready." She nodded in a curt bob.

Mira cleared her throat, still smiling, and held a smell index card in front of her nose. Her blue eyes creased up as if she was trying to read fine print. "Here we go! First question: A tisket, a tasket, what two colors are the basket?"

Juvia looked incredibly confused. "…Juvia doesn't understand. Juvia doesn't see a basket anywhere…" Her darker blue brows drew together, her pale lips pursing in thought. "But if it is Juvia and Gray-sama's basket…the colors would be blue and black!"

"Sorry, Juvia," Mira apologized, shaking her head. "That's incorrect. So, now the question falls to you, Lisanna. A tisket, a tasket, what two colors are the basket?" The barmaid turned to her sister with an pleasant smile, and the youngest Strauss sibling tittered nervously.

"Mira-nee," Lisanna sighed, "Elf-nii used to like reading them with me, but I haven't read them in years..." And here, she paused in thought. "Actually, I think I remember this one… Green and yellow, right?" she asked, fixing her older sister with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Correct!" Mira chimed before coming to stand before Erza, sitting next to Lisanna. "Your turn, Erza."

The swordswoman nodded.

Mira squinted again, saying, "What did I ask the Baker's man to bake me as fast as he could?"

Lucy, sitting beside Erza to the left, gawked. And when she glanced at Mira, only to find her eyes twinkling with humor, she realized that the question had been asked on purpose. The answer was so simple! And when taken into consideration that this was _Erza_, the answer should have been as obvious as a wooden sword in a pile of steel ones.

Erza frowned and then snorted. "Strawberry cake, obviously."

A giggle escaped Mira's mouth and she shrugged. "Well, that's technically the right answer, I suppose. Good job! And now, for Lucy," she announced. After planting herself in front of the celestial mage, she laughed out, "Since you're the guest of honor, you get a hard one!"

Lucy sighed. If Levy had been left in charge of this, then Lucy had no doubt that she would be getting the hard ones. "Bring it on," she said with a grin. She could handle a nursery rhyme. It was by far the least of her worries right now.

"These three men had their careers, but are better known as three men in a tub."

"_Rub-a-dub-dub. Three men in a tub, and how do you think they got there? The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker—they all jumped out of a rotten potato! 'Twas enough to make a fish stare."_

"_Mama, that's silly! How could they jump out of a potato? And fishies don't stare!"_

"_That part, sweetie, is up to your imagination."_

Layla's voice came ringing back in Lucy's head and she couldn't help but smile a bit wider. That particular rhyme, unbeknownst to Levy and Mira, had been her favorite as a child. Why? Well, Lucy couldn't really recall, but she thought it had something to do with the fact that the three men supposedly jumped out of a potato and that fish could stare.

"The butcher, the baker, and the candlestick-maker," she replied with softening eyes.

Levy, standing next to Mira, blinked in surprise. Then, she smiled. "That's right!" she exclaimed. "Wow, you're good, Lu-chan."

And so, the game continued, with Lucy pleasantly reminiscing and simply quoting her mother. A few years ago, playing this game probably would have hurt her heart—thinking about her mother too often had done that to her in the past. But, now there were only the feelings of contentedness and peace. Within half an hour, the amount of players was narrowed down to two—Lucy and Bisca; which honestly didn't surprise most. Bisca was a young mother, after all. What _had_ surprised people though, was when Erza had been eliminated the round before by, unknowingly, going over the time limit.

Even after the red head had thrown a bit of a fit and stomped off to the foods table, the game continued.

"This disagreeable girl with a remarkable green thumb can really make those cockleshells grow!"

Bisca didn't hesitate. "Mary, Mary, quite contrary."

"Who was fast asleep under a haystack when the sheep was in the meadow and the cow in the corn?"

"_Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn, the sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn. Where is the boy who looks after the sheep? He's under a haycock, fast asleep. Will you wake him? No, not I, for if I do, he's sure to cry."_

"_He sounds lazy, Mama…"_

"Little Boy Blue," Lucy murmured.

"Mou, one of you has to lose some time," Mira huffed. "I'm almost out of questions here! Okay, Bisca: What did Little Jack Horner pull out of a mincemeat pie with his thumb?" asked the barista, arms crossing expectantly.

And, here, the markswoman started, her brows furrowing. Bisca's mouth opened soundlessly, closing again in the next second. "Oh, I _know_ this one… Asuka never liked it though, so I stopped reading it to her…" she mumbled. "It's a fruit…and I think it was…purple? A prune?" She looked up at Mira, biting on her bottom lip.

"Nope, sorry, that's not right. But, if Lucy can answer it correctly, she wins!" Mira squealed, folding the piece of paper and placing it in the pocket of her apron. Her long, fluffy and white hair flowed like milky-silk as she whipped her head around to stare at Lucy. "What did Little Jack Horner pull out of a mincemeat pie with his thumb?" she sweetly repeated.

"_Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a mincemeat pie. He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum, and said, _"What a good boy am I!"_"_

"_That's rude! I'd be really mad if someone ruined my pie!"_

Lucy, another soft smile on her face, murmured, "A plum, isn't it?"

"That's correct! We have a winner!"

While Bisca shook her head, accepting defeat, Evergreen muttered as she sipped her drink, "Well, it's about time. How do the two of you remember so much? All that rhyming and nonsense. I can't even remember the number of my apartment…"

"Some people just have better memories, Evergreen-san," Wendy laughed lightly, though she'd been eliminated during the first round much like Juvia had. With the wrapped package crinkling in her small hands, the youngest dragonslayer approached Lucy with a serene expression. "Congratulations, Lucy-san!" she said, handing off the ribbon-decorated basket.

"Thank you," Lucy replied, taking the gift graciously.

In her opinion, the last thing that she needed was another present; she had an entire mountain waiting to be opened and taken home, after all. But, when she tried to tell this to Mira, the barmaid simply shooed her off and then urged her to play another game—another memory game. But, instead of participating, Lucy was told to show a series of baby items to her friends, and then walk out of the room. The other girls, while they had focused on memorizing the order in which Lucy had presented the baby items, had been asked to write down what Lucy had been wearing.

Needless to say, a very frustrated Evergreen gave up with a pout, and Juvia became equally upset; the prize had been a set of warm sweaters and mufflers as the winter season was fast approaching. Charle won that one, being the most keen observer out of all of them. But, unfortunately, the sweaters were a little too large for her.

The next game was a guessing game, and again, Lucy was allowed to sit out. Kind of. The rest of the girls were given rolls of toilet paper and told to rip off the amount of squares they thought would wrap around Lucy's stomach. Lucy thought it was funny—Mira was _very_ creative, it appeared. And it gave all of her friends an excuse to touch her stomach, which she knew they all had been dying to do. It was normal for people to want to touch pregnant bellies, according to Bisca.

The result ended in a tie between Erza, who was finally satisfied that she won at least one game, and Levy, who was just glad that Erza's temper had finally simmered.

Afterwards, the time for presents came. Some of the men—Gildarts, Wakaba, Macao and Reedus, to name a few—had left presents for the mother-to-be, making her blush embarrassedly. Knowing that her father had left a present, though, Cana was ruffled; claimed he was "too old to be pining for Lucy, doubly since she was very obviously taken."

The comment made Lucy squirm, and it reminded her that while her friends had planned this whole thing, solely for her sake, none of them even knew the name of the child's father. And it had to be irking some of them. Probably Erza and Evergreen, for the most part. But, they weren't asking about it at all, much to Lucy's surprise. In fact, the subject of fathers, or even the more bland subject of Natsu, never even came up. Not once.

A part of Lucy had to wonder if they were waiting for _her_ to be the one to decide when they should know. Respecting her privacy, giving her space, and all that. If so, Lucy had grossly underestimated the hearts of her friends just a few weeks prior.

But, the comforting thought in all of this was that things were about to change. After the party was over, Lucy was planning on having Natsu over in order to set things straight. She'd apologize for lying to him, and for so long at that, and then she'd beg for his forgiveness and plead that he not shun their child for _her_ mistakes. She had no idea how things would turn out, wasn't sure what the outcome would be…but, Lucy _did_ know that this was something she had to do. She had to stop hiding and face the music, as it were. She had to stop acting like a coward.

Natsu was her best friend. Wasn't it time she started trusting him like one?

…

"Are you sure? I mean, I can stay and help clean up. It's no big deal," Lucy offered as she watched Levy and Mirajane hurry around the beer hall to take down the decorations. "Leaving just the two of you to clean up all of this wouldn't be fair of me. It was my party, after all."

Levy sighed, tucking a lock of her blue hair behind a tiny ear. She reached up, attempting to snatch some of the balloons, but they were just out of her reach. "Lu-chan, you need to go home and get some rest. Too much excitement isn't good for you, you know."

Of course, Levy had been reading medical textbooks again in order to be of use to Lucy, who didn't want to go to the hospital. She seemed to know just about everything, not that she hadn't before, though.

"Levy's right," Mira chimed, snagging the banner and tugging part of it down. "And, as I recall, you didn't help set everything up, so there's no need for you to clean up—a girl's gotta clean up her own mess."

Lucy frowned. That wasn't what she'd been taught as a child, but, her two friends were insisting that she head home and relax—which sounded tempting. Her feet were beginning to hurt again. "What about the presents, then?" she challenged. Surely, she couldn't carry all of them home with her. They were all sitting, unwrapped, behind the food table, looking something similar to a small, but intimidating enough, mountain.

"Erza is on her way to tell Natsu and Gajeel to swing by and take them to your place. Between the two of them it should be a piece of cake…" Then, Mira giggled, noticing her small pun. She meandered to the other side of the table to grab the other side of the banner, eyeing Lucy all the while.

Lucy, her gut twisting nervously, could only nod. Well, at least that way, she didn't have to go out of her way to find Natsu; he would be coming right to her. And she would be in the comfort of her own home when she unleashed her beast of a secret. "Okay," she murmured, more to herself than to Mirajane. Looking back up, the blonde fixed her two friends with an enigmatic look and a forced smile. "I guess I'll get going, then."

Only Levy noticed that Lucy's smile was tight, and it showed when the light in her amber eyes darkened. Lucy was hiding something again—Levy was becoming exceedingly familiar with that look of hers, unfortunately, when she was keeping secrets. But, Levy decided to let it be for now. There was a time and a place for every discussion, and right now was not the place nor was it the time. "Be safe, Lu-chan," she whispered impulsively.

Rounding on her heels, surprise in her eyes, Lucy smiled for real. Levy knew her so well. "Yeah," she replied.

Opening the guild doors, Lucy stepped into the chilly night and was surprised to find it drizzling. Winter was just beginning, and while it had never been her favorite season, she'd always liked when it snowed. Maybe the drizzle would turn into snow later, she thought hopefully. When she'd been younger, she and her mother had always curled up by the fire in blankets with cocoa. After telling Natsu, Lucy felt like she would probably be needing a warm cup of cocoa and some fluffy blankets to keep her calm and sane—she'd need some sense of normalcy after tonight.

The temperature quickly dropped to biting new levels as she trekked back to her apartment on Strawberry Street. Wind gusts were blowing the frigid drops of rain into her face, which she tried to hide by ducking her chin. It didn't really work, and her nose and ears were soon red as cherries and numb to the touch. Thankfully, though, she reached her apartment in record time.

Pulling off her wet coat and sniffling, Lucy peered into her dark apartment. Natsu wasn't there yet, as evidenced by the dead silence throughout the place. She sighed with relief. "Okay, you can do this, Lucy," she told herself softly while she ran to her bedroom to find warmer clothes.

She was stripped of the cold, wet outfit she'd been wearing and snug in her favorite long sleeve shirt and fuzzy pajama pants in less than a few seconds. Then, she tied up her hair to get the dripping strands out of her face. A shower was in order, she decided with a grimace. Wet hair meant smelly hair later on. But, the shower would have to wait until after Natsu left.

Back in the kitchen, her arms folded, Lucy waited for the water in her kettle to come to a boil. Thunder rolled softly outside, and though the lights were on, she couldn't help but shiver with unease. It was…much too quiet for her taste. Yes, she liked the quiet, but this was _too_ quiet for her. Usually, she could at least hear the muffled sound of her neighbor's Lacrima-Vision, or the hum of the water heater. But…there was nothing. Just the sound of the rain, wind, thunder and the cracking of the fire as it heated up her kettle.

"I'm so paranoid," Lucy muttered to herself, snatching her kettle as soon as it started screeching at her and pouring it into her cocoa mix before stomping up to her bedroom.

She wanted to relax and calm her nerves before Natsu arrived. Maybe write down what she was planning on saying in order to help herself stay cool—she always wrote out all of her speeches and inner thoughts when she was expected to talk for long period of time. Some had called her weird, but, it was a coping habit of hers that actually worked.

One of the floorboards creaked from behind her.

Lucy paused as she rounded the corner that lead to her bedroom, craning her neck. "Natsu?" she called out to the darkness of her hallway. Was he here already? Her stomach plummeted. Great, she thought bitterly, now she had no time to calm herself and practice what she was going to say.

But, when no reply came, she shook her head.

Yeah, she was really, _really_ paranoid. A part of her questioned if maybe it was just her hormones…and another part wondered if hormones could even cause anxiety and paranoia. She didn't know—maybe she would save that question for Levy later.

Another creak.

And this time, a chill ran down Lucy's spine in a warning. All of a sudden, she no longer felt comfortable in her hallway. There was this trilling…_fear_ in her veins that she couldn't explain. Like she _knew_ that she was in danger. Hammering in her chest like the steady rhythm of a bass drum, her heart skidded to a sudden stop, as if it had run into a concrete wall, when she heard a ragged breath from directly behind her.

Someone was in her house.

Squealing, Lucy dashed to her room, hoping to get to her keys in time. She wasn't supposed to use them, according to Wendy, because they drained her magic more quickly due to the child. It was absorbing her magic as it grew, and cutting off its supply could be dangerous to both her and the child. But, she had also said that in dire situations it was okay, as long as they weren't very often—and this, Lucy decided, was a _very_ dire situation. There was _someone in her apartment_, for Mavis' sake! And if they were creeping around in the dark, that just spelled trouble.

And violence.

She'd just made it to her nightstand table and yanked open the bottom drawer that housed her keys when she felt two gruff hands on her shoulders. Another scream bubbled up from the back of Lucy's throat, but the intruder sensed this and covered Lucy's mouth with their hand. She was pulled back into a broad-feeling chest, wide and like rock against her back—the intruder was probably a man. Her suspicions were only supported when the grip around her mouth tightened to a bruising level.

This person, whoever they were, was strong and lithe and very obviously physically superior to her. Like a hunter. And she was the prey. Prey that was about to be struck down and devoured.

"Goodnight," the intruder hissed into her ear, chuckling lowly in an almost growl-like manner.

Then, Lucy was falling to the ground too fast to stop herself. A sharp, sickening, cracking sound echoed in the silence of her bedroom, and vaguely, as she saw dark spots in her vision, she knew it was the sound of her own head colliding with her floor. Thunder rolled again, softer than before, and as the sounds around her faded, Lucy felt something wet and sticky pooling around her head.

Blood, was it?

Well…that couldn't be good…

And just before she faded into unconsciousness, perhaps for good, a morbid part of her mused, she heard her attacker's voice again, _"It's raining, it's pouring; the young girl is snoring. Bumped her head and she went to bed and she couldn't get up in the morning. Rain, rain, go away; come again another day; I really, really want to play."_

With the last amount of energy she had, she forced her lips to mumble the name of the one person who could help her. "…_Natsu_…"

The blackness wrapped its icy fingers around her, pulling her under, and she had no choice but to follow obediently.

* * *

**Oh, no... It seems that Lucy's made an enemy! The plot thickens... Next time! Chapter 28: The Panic**

**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:** _mrs. zala, DhanaRagnarok, anon, Caelith, nessa, Green Arcana, Cerawitch, InvertedKitty, MisticaRevy, TheLostHope, creastirion45, Erlomast, WolfGirlHowlsAtMoon, ifreakinluvnalu, Guest, TVfreak7, LuvlyLadyLexi, ghostbones, NaLu, Kohryu, animegirl3226, wakamehime530, Tiger90991, iLikeCookies12, formulaofpudding, Sinares, REDemption Love and Lies, ChaoticChild, LilyAlina, iscalda, Nicole, KHLostEmpress, Cat Goliath, Reika Natsuki, amkhe, Catwho, NonieBee, KanaeHitomi, LivelyLadtBlackThorn, Alice Harkey, leoslady4ever, kuro ace, DD42, KristyKakes, Masterday, hundefrau, TabsTeam, Person, Collaborative Lady, xXShadowDragonSlayerXx, The Keeper of Worlds, SunsetRika, KawaiiOdango, xEhyeh-Asher-Ehyehx, Venadrill, Danny Phantom Fan1, vampire-fetish15, maglin, BinaryLogic101, GuiltyCrown09, GoldenKitty, Briarthorne_

**Also, I will have pictures of my prom hair and my dress up on my tumblr if you want to see them! I think I did a pretty good job for not being able to go home and change ;)  
**


	28. The Panic

_**Meh, not so much NaLu in the latest chapter, ne? But, oh well. Can't spoiler ourselves too much, now can we?**_

_**So, um, yeah. Usually I have a lot to say (and usually, presumably, a lot of you skip my ranting, which I totally don't blame you for) but I just...don't today. Huh. Prom's done and over with, so is all of my music stuff, my last day of school is this Tuesday and I graduate next Wednesday... OMG. I'm old. Well, that's about it for my ranting!**_

_**Special shout out to **__DeathBerryLover1995__** for being the 1,050th reviewer! Keep those reviews coming, they're my fuel! :D I'm thinking my next goal might be 2,000... Is that too ambitious?  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Panic**_

* * *

A part of Natsu felt guilty for not buying Lucy a present. Almost everyone else had done so—even Gray to some extent; though, he swore that Juvia had all but forced him to help her choose a present. Hell, even _Gajeel and Laxus_ had left a present behind… But not Natsu; in fact, it had never occurred to him to even go shopping. And for that, he felt like the biggest, most _worthless_ best friend on Earthland. He was usually pretty good with this whole 'best friend' shtick, but, all of the sudden…he wasn't so on top of his game anymore.

Whether that was because Lucy seemed to have another man in her life, he didn't know. Maybe.

Anyway, the point remained that he was a sucky friend. Natsu fully realized this, but that didn't mean he accepted the fact. So, earlier that day while all the girls had been at the guild cooing and giggling over baby booties…he'd gone and done a bit of window shopping in order to redeem himself. He'd hoped to find something useful, but, apparently, most of the useful stuff like diapers and baby mobiles had already been wrapped up.

Thankfully, though, he'd stumbled across something small that no one else had thought of—or, at least he _hoped_ no one had thought of it, otherwise he was just _shit outta luck_, as Gajeel would have scoffed snarkily.

It, the present, weighed as much as a brick in his pocket as he marched to Lucy's house in the rain, his arms loaded with other presents. The rain was pelting down in sheets, much to Natsu's distaste. He'd never particularly liked the rain. Though, he supposed it made sense for him to have a dislike for rainwater—he was the living persona of fire, after all. Rain made it hard for him to see, washed away important scents, soaked him clear to the bone, and, more often than not, made his magic close to useless. That in itself was more than irritating than everything else put together—a Natsu who couldn't use magic was a very irate Natsu.

But, all thoughts of disdain were pushed aside if only for now. He supposed he could make a trip in the rain…but only for Lucy. No way would he hike through the pouring rain, arms straining with presents that _weren't_ for him, for anyone but her. Okay, maybe Happy, too…_maybe_. But that was a very shaky maybe, he thought. Besides, Happy didn't like the rain either.

"How much further is it?" grumped Gajeel to Natsu's left, startling the fire dragonslayer. The dark-haired, stocky brute was just as drenched as Natsu, with his coal-black hair plastered to his head, the back of his neck and down his back. His narrowed, glowing-red eyes suggested that he was just as, if not, more, displeased with the situation at hand.

"I thought you knew where she lived," Natsu muttered back from around the bulk in his arms.

Like a ruffled cat, Gajeel visibly stiffened, and Natsu could practically imagine the ends of his hair curling up from the static in the heavy air. "Like I memorize where people live. I just follow the scent," he groused, shaking his head in order to clear away the water that had run into his eyes.

Quickly, Natsu said, "She lives on Strawberry Street." And then he cringed, waiting for Gajeel to round on him with a warily suspicious gaze. Natsu had answered much too quickly, too eagerly, he knew…he'd sounded like an excited child.

Instead, though, Gajeel grunted and then abruptly halted. "Where the hell's that? Can't see a damn thing cuz of the rain…" He squinted into the night, his nose twitching as he tried to vainly seek out Lucy's familiar scent. When nothing but the smell of wet dirt and oil hit him, making his toes curl in distaste, he growled and continued to stalk down the street even though he had absolutely no idea where he was going.

Gajeel loathed the rain.

If Levy had been present, he supposed that she would have been laughing at him. She'd always lectured him for relying on his senses to get him places instead of his brain, said that one day it would bite him in the ass. Apparently, that day was today.

Coming up from just behind Gajeel, Natsu huffed, blowing his wet hair out of his eyes. "Turn right there," he instructed, nodding to a street that neither could see the name of.

Gajeel wanted to grumble at him, make sure he knew what the hell he was doing, but then he remembered that this was Natsu. Natsu, who broke into Blondie's apartment almost daily, who probably knew the way to her apartment by heart and could get there even if he was blindfolded with cotton balls stuck up his nose. So, Gajeel turned sharply to the right, stalking down the street. Through the water falling into his eyes, he could see rows and rows of townhouses and apartments of various colors and shades. And, honestly, he didn't remember which apartment was Lucy's… He hadn't really thought to memorize its color and number.

The only apartment address he had bothered to memorize was Levy's… Strictly for safety purposes, of course. Shorty just couldn't damn well keep herself out of trouble.

But, once again, Natsu murmured, "It's this one," with a confident tone and marched up the steps to a pink apartment complex.

Awkwardly, he shuffled the presents in his arms, trying to balance them and still open the door. It took him a bit of maneuvering, holding things in place with his chin and hoping to all that was holy that they suddenly didn't just lunge out of his grasp, but he managed to open the door and trek up the stairs that led to Lucy's apartment. Gajeel followed silently, aching to throw everything in his arms to the ground and wring out his hair—he _hated_ that wet hair smell. Instead, though, he battled through it and stomped up the steps until he came to a stop just behind Natsu.

"What're ya waiting for?" he demanded, irritated. He was wet, tired, holding trinkets that poked uncomfortably at his arms, and he'd be damned before he let Natsu just stand in front of him when all he wanted to do was go back home to his warm and _dry_ bed.

Natsu, in front of Gajeel, could sense his comrade's annoyance. But he didn't budge. In fact, he seemed to stiffen where he stood, planted in front of Lucy's door, with a hard set to his face. A frown quickly developed on his lips, and it tightened the longer he stood still. "…Do you smell that?" he asked quietly, almost as though he were afraid that he was going to scare someone away if his voice rose above a certain level.

Gajeel snorted. "I don't smell nothing but wet, damp hair. Just open the damn door, this shit is heavier than it looks." He wasn't trying to complain, but a tired and wet Gajeel meant for a grumpy and whiny Gajeel.

"Smell," Natsu commanded sharply, eyes narrowing.

Muttering under his breath—commands were _not_ something he dealt well with—Gajeel reluctantly set everything on the ground by his feet and then took a short, annoyed whiff. And at first, he didn't smell anything other than himself and his wet hair. But, underneath all of that, _very_ faintly, he could smell something almost metallic…and it wasn't himself. That scent was a little too rusty, little too salty to be his metal studs, and too far away and faint.

Realization came crashing down like raining bricks. "Oi, do you…?"

"Yeah," Natsu murmured and paled. "And there's something else, too… Something I don't recognize." Green eyes narrowed even further and grew dark with worry. "Lucy…" Before he realized what he was doing, he was dropping everything—a distant part of him hoping that nothing broke—and reaching for the door handle.

Gajeel's rough hand snatched his wrist before he could touch the door. "Oi, not a good idea," Gajeel warned, fingers squeezing harder around the fire dragonslayer's wrist with each passing second. "She hates it when ya break into her apartment. The last thing ya need is a hormonal woman chasing down yer ass."

And Natsu hated to admit it, but Gajeel was right. Lucy absolutely _hated_ it when he broke into her apartment. And he could hardly imagine the reaction of a _pregnant_ and _angry_ Lucy. But this was different… This time, Lucy was in _danger_. "Don't you _smell_ that? The scent of blood and a stranger don't belong in Lucy's apartment at the same time." Natsu tore his hand away from Gajeel, glowering pointedly.

Gajeel couldn't deny this. He knew for a fact that if he'd gone to Levy's house and smelt blood and the trace of a stranger, he'd have smashed through the front door in a split second and scoured every damn inch of her apartment to make sure that she was safe and sound.

"Yeah," Gajeel said in an almost understanding manner.

This time, when Natsu grabbed the door handle, he wasn't stopped, and he flung her front door wide open. The scent of an intruder filled Natsu's nose, mingling with the smell of coppery-smelling blood that made his insides twist and knot in unpleasant ways. He was far too familiar with the scent of Lucy's blood for his own taste.

As he hurriedly ran into her parlor, noticing nothing out of place, he called, "Lucy?"

As he feared, he didn't receive a reply; just the raunchy stench of the intruder and blood.

Fear knotting his stomach, to the point that he thought he would be sick right then and there in her living room, Natsu dashed to where the two smells were the strongest—her bedroom. That thought in and of itself was enough to make his heart do that lurching-thing again. He hated when his heart reacted like that…it was painful, and the worst part was that there was nothing for him to do to stop it. Fear and panic were all-consuming as Natsu raced up towards Lucy's bedroom, completely unaware of everything else—even the fact that Gajeel was hot on his heels.

Both the smells—of blood and of the person he didn't know—grew stronger until it was all that Natsu could smell, all he could think about. And time seemed to stop when he finally burst through her bedroom door to see her crumpled on the floor, by her nightstand table, with a growing halo of crimson soaking into her golden hair and the floorboards. Her face was pale, a smear of red on her cheek, and flashes of the nightmare back in the Waas Forest erupted.

_Blood, not breathing, pale, not breathing, blood, fear, panic, blood, not fucking breathing…_

"Lucy!"

This couldn't be happening…this _couldn't_ be happening… Not to _Lucy_. Not on _his_ watch… He was supposed to watch out for her, protect her, now more than ever. She was vulnerable, even if she didn't want to admit it. He'd already let her get hurt once—and he'd nearly ripped apart the bastard who'd dared to touch her—and though he'd promised himself that he would take care of her…here she was. Again.

Natsu lunged for her, his arms straining, his blood pounding in his ears. Before he could even so much as touch her, though, he was roughly yanked back by the collar of his vest and he tumbled backwards into Gajeel.

"Lemme go!" Natsu shouted, writhing as Gajeel grabbed both of his shoulders. "Lucy!" He shot forward again.

"Quit yer squirmin'!" the iron dragonslayer snapped as his grip tightened to painful levels. "You ain't gonna do any good as ya are now. She's still breathing, calm yer ass down and think about this logically." Gajeel honestly couldn't believe what he was saying…

Thinking? _Logically?_ What the _hell_ had Levy done to him? Usually, he was right with Natsu; jumping headlong into the fray without a single care and a devilish, insatiable appetite for violence.

Natsu stilled, his nostrils flaring and his eyes zeroing in on Lucy's softly rising chest. _She was breathing…she was breathing…she was alive…_ Taking a deep, calming breath, Natsu yanked his shoulders away from Gajeel's weighty palms and then proceeded to cross the room quietly, controlling his every motion.

Painfully aware of his ragged breathing and his shaking hands, he knelt beside his best friend, his nose crinkling at her sweet scent diluted with copper, and tentatively said, "Lucy?"

She, of course, didn't so much as twitch.

Natsu couldn't stand just staring at her any longer, her stillness was making him anxious and not touching her just made it worse. He slid his arms underneath of her curled-up form, ignoring the way his sleeve dipped into her blood, and then cradled her into his chest. Pressing her head, matted with still-warm blood and all, into his chest, he stood and fixed his suddenly-weary eyes on the iron dragonslayer in the room.

"We need to take her to Wendy," he said, marching towards the door.

Yet again, Gajeel stopped Natsu. "That ain't such a good idea, Salamander. In her…condition, she might be a bit too complicated fer the kid to handle."

And yet again, Natsu realized that Gajeel was right. He was right way more often than Natsu would have liked—at least, if only for today. Usually, they just butted heads about decisions until they were too tired to care or just forgot; someone else tended to make the final say. Lucy was usually that person. So, Natsu wondered, what would Lucy do in his shoes?

Well…that was probably a bit _too_ easy. She tended to overreact when it came to other people's wounds, and she always demanded that they be taken to the hospital to be professionally cared for.

"Should we take her to Magnolia Central?" Natsu suggested softly, almost wincing at the feel of her blood seeping through his clothes and onto his shoulder.

"They should know how to handle this shit," Gajeel rumbled. "And hurry, she don't look too good."

As if he needed a reminder of that, Natsu thought to himself darkly. He was very well aware of how she looked. Even though she looked at peace—eyes shut softly, lips parted with soft panting breaths pulling from her chest—she was far too pale, a little too cold for his liking, and she wasn't even twitching. Lucy was a light sleeper; she woke up if someone so much as opened the front door to her apartment, let alone _touched_ her. Had she been alright, she would have been awake, spitting bullets, and throwing things at him already.

"What's this?" Gajeel called as Natsu began hurriedly walking down the hall. He half-turned to see his fellow dragonslayer companion pluck something small, purple, and flowery-looking off of Lucy's windowsill, and casually sniff it. Gajeel suddenly blanched, spluttered roughly, and yanked the thing away from his face. "Smells bitter," he hissed, plugging his nose with a look of mild disgust.

"See if Levy knows what it is," Natsu replied, not really caring. He didn't have the time to be worried about a damn flower—Lucy needed medical attention. And fast.

In record time, he was at Lucy's front door again, and trying to balance her and open the door at the same time. It wasn't working as well as it had when he'd just been dealing with presents earlier. Thankfully, though, Gajeel was by his side in a brief second and pulling open the door for him. Then, out of nowhere, Gajeel removed his coat and laid it overtop of Lucy, not doubt in order to shield her from the rain that was still pouring outside.

"Thanks," Natsu mumbled, shifting her and tucking the coat over her head so that not one single tuft of blonde hair peeked out.

"Just hurry up, I ain't got a pleasant feeling about this…" Gajeel's tone, dark and unsure, sent a pang of unease through Natsu, who simply nodded and dashed out of the apartment.

o0o

"You're sure that she'll be okay?"

Natsu was pinning a Magnolia Central Hospital nurse with his most penetrating, anxious stare, practically vibrating on the spot. His hands itched, burned, aching for him to release some pent up frustration—but he couldn't; not here, anyway. Lucy would kill him when…if…she woke up. Though, at this point, he relished the idea whole-heartedly; so long as she was awake and lively, he didn't damn well care what she did to him.

The nurse, a skittish-looking thing, hummed nervously as he continued to stare her down. "Heartfilia-san should make a full recovery… She just fell and had a bit of bad luck, cutting her head on something with a sharp edge…like maybe a dresser," she said almost speculatively, tucking her clipboard underneath her arms and fiddling with a stray lock of her dark hair. Dark eyes peeked upwards at him, as if prying for information.

Naturally, the nurse was curious.

And Natsu only wished that he had answers to give her. He was about as clueless as she was—which didn't sit well with him at all. Nothing about this situation did. His eyes narrowed a dangerous degree before he realized it, and his jaw locked tightly—there were so many things that he didn't know. A stray muscle twitched in his cheek.

The nurse looked apprehensive.

Natsu could tell that he was making her nervous—he was more observant than people gave him credit for—but his stare didn't falter. His words did, however, when he stuttered out, "And…what about…?" He couldn't even bring himself to ask fully. The words always seemed to get clogged in his throat whenever he so much as thought about what might have happened to… He couldn't even _think_ it. It made him sick to his stomach.

"The fetus?" supplied the nurse helpfully.

Natsu nodded dumbly, licking his suddenly dry lips.

"Well, we didn't have Heartfilia-san registered as prenatal in our files, so we'll have to do a few blood tests and urine samples to make sure that both she and the baby are fine and healthy. But, from what we've observed so far, the injury has not affected the fetus in any way—maybe just startled it, but that's all," she replied softly, soothingly, as if she were trying to calm him. "You got her here quickly enough, so the damage was minimal overall. She should be awake sometime tomorrow, or even later tonight if we're lucky."

The peace that had been eluding him for the majority of the day suddenly washed over him like a tidal wave. _Lucy was safe, Lucy was alive, Lucy was going to be okay… _Natsu's rigidly tense shoulders slumped, then, allowing his corded and sore muscles to finally relax. He'd been tense the moment Lucy had been ripped from his arms and taken away to some sterile-smelling room that made his skin crawl. Natsu hated hospitals. He hated the smell of antiseptics and blood mixed together. That smell meant death far too often.

"…Thank you," he finally said.

"Thank yourself," the nurse, Komaki as her nametag supplied, rebutted. "She'll be alright, but, unfortunately, visiting hours are over. I'll have to ask you to step outside now, Dragneel-san." Her look was one of pity, dark eyes belying that she understood his desire to stay. But, rules were rules; and she was forced to make him oblige.

Another reason why he hated hospitals. Too many damn rules.

Natsu, his face falling into a solemn expression, looked over the nurse's head towards the back of the room, where Lucy was. She was still asleep, with an IV in one arm and a blood transfusion in the other, a heart monitor, as they'd called it, beeping softly by her bedside. Even dressed in a horrid, off-white gown that only made her look even paler than before, the taunting bracelet on her right wrist that reminded him of why she was here served to make her look more helpless. He hated seeing her like that—she literally looked like death. And leaving her…the very thought put him on edge and made his shoulders bunch up again.

But, he couldn't afford to make a scene here. And to be honest, he was too tired to think about starting something. All he wanted to do now was lie down and catch a few hours of sleep…and then sit with Lucy.

He had some questions for her.

Without another word, Natsu turned on his heel, grinding his teeth till his jaw ached from the force, and stepped out into the hallway.

But, it seemed that he would get no rest today; fate was against him in every way, it seemed. In the hallway, Galahad was waiting; sitting in a folding chair, his hands clasped together with white knuckles, his head hung, eyes closed. He looked almost…worried. Natsu knew better to believe the act, though, and he willingly let himself bristle all over again.

"What are you doing here?" Natsu growled lowly, nearly surprised at how deep and threatening his voice suddenly became.

Galahad's head flung up, flinging bleach-white hair, and where a smirk usually rested, there was…nothing. His face was impossibly blank, void of emotional entirely. But the redness in his eyes spoke volumes for what his mouth and expression refused. "Do I need permission to know if my _nakama_ is going to survive?" he asked in a whisper.

The dragonslayer shifted uncomfortably on his feet, suddenly and uncharacteristically, feeling like the villain. "No," he responded after a moment's pause. "But I told you to stay away from Lucy. You put her in danger."

"And you didn't?" the illusionist backfired. "You're her best friend. Where were you when she needed you?" His eyes, like flints of jade, glistened in the eerie light of the hospital hallway.

Natsu physically recoiled at this, his heart skipping a few beats. Once again, his mistakes were being pointed out so blatantly. And worse, this time by _Galahad_, of all people. But, this knowledge only fueled his intense dislike of the illusionist before him, and he gritted out, "Just stay away from Lucy. She's…_they're_ vulnerable right now, and the last thing they need is you getting in the way of their recovery…"

A scoff. "By the way you're talking, people would assume that she's carrying _your_ child."

That statement hurt a lot more than it should have, Natsu thought, as a resounding pang echoed in his heart and almost made him double over. His chest suddenly felt too tight, and his eyes burned with emotion. "It…" His voice cracked and he coughed in order to cover it up. "It doesn't matter whose child it is, Lucy is my friend, my _nakama_. I'll always look after her." For some reason, it felt like he was trying to swallow nails when he spoke—and it was an exceedingly unpleasant feeling.

Galahad, a challenging but serious look in his eyes, lifted his chin. And Natsu should have known by the look alone that something massive was coming…but he didn't. So, when Galahad mused, "Then, what would you do it that baby were _mine?_" everything seemed to get impossibly quiet.

And, for the second time in one day, Natsu felt his world slowly freeze over.

* * *

_**Uh-oh... Take cover! Something's gonna blow! Next time! Chapter 29: The Realization**_

_**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:**__ nessa, misssbehavin, CatGoliath, KillumeP, Connilreland, AlchemicGoddess15, theformulaofpu__dding, DD42, inuluvskag, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, Wasabi-kun, StarKiss666, QueenP19, KawaiiOdango, LuvlyLadyLexi, sai ninja, Kohryu, DeathBerryLover1995, The fairy elf, Sinares, Whip and Fangs, Tiger90991, TabsTeam, 0MoonBoots0, Reika Natsuki, leoslady4ever, GoldenKitty, NALU-4-EVER-12, Pikas, pandasxpocky, Alice Harkey, Sansei Ame, GuiltyCrown09, feelsareawesome, hundefrau, mrs zala, vampire-fetish15, PameliaCauas, SunsetRika, Danny Phantom Fan1, KHLostEmpress, Wide-Eyed-Wonderer, Collaborative Lady, LovingmyOTP's, SOORA-Koori-ryuu, ashlieswifty, amkhe, Venadrill, ChaoticChild, kyia12, NonieBee, Person _


	29. The Realization

_**Sorry this is**__** s**__**o**__** much later in the day than I usually update! I've just been SO busy today. And yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. Etc. I never realized that graduating took so much time and effort. Seriously! So many stupid meetings and weird ceremonies I have to go to... And while we're on this page... Holy crap, guys. I'm graduating in two days. TWO DAYS. I. Am. So. Old. D: My last day to school was last Tuesday, and I officially graduate this Tuesday... Then, it's just the cruise and Senior Week that I have to deal with!**_

_**Speaking of Senior Week... Next Sunday I won't be able to update since I'll be at the beach. I won't be getting back till next Tuesday or Wednesday, so I might update when I get home. Maybe. If I have enough energy. Hope you guys don't hate me too much! Now, onto the part that you guys actually care about...**_

_**Special shout out to **__inuluvskag__** for being the 1,100 reviewer! And also, special shout out to **__Kohryu__** for being the 1,111 reviewer!**_

_**Oh, and I changed the summary. Again. Ehehe. I could never come up with one that was god enough! But I think I'll leave this one...it suits the title better, I think. Hopefully ya'll aren't too annoyed by my indecisiveness... On a side note...GEEZ! I never knew I had such rabid fans... Wow. So many caps locks... ehehehe. Guess that means you like this story, ne? Well, I love you, too!  
**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Realization**_

* * *

It took a lot to subdue Natsu with words alone—the things being said had to be a massive blow to either his ego, or his iron-barricaded, absolutely undamageable, feelings. And, consequently, Galahad's statement had crippled both. The burning, stinging pain in Natsu's chest served to silence him completely, and when he tried to speak, his mouth would only run dry and his throat would close. Again, it took a _lot_ to render him utterly speechless, and very few people had had the privilege of seeing it firsthand.

Much to Natsu's well-veiled and mute rage, Galahad had just been added to that _very_ tiny list.

The dream caster was staring back intently, still sitting in one of the folding chairs outside of Lucy's room. And though the difference in height should have given Natsu the clear advantage, it was _Natsu_ who felt like he was being backed into a corner. Galahad's eyes were piercing, mocking, glowing in a familiar way that the dragonslayer absolutely loathed. In their depths, Natsu willed there to be a shadow of deception…but, he found nothing. They were void.

"Bad jokes lead to bad things," Natsu warned when he found his voice; it was raw with disbelief and a hint of anger.

Even his anger—one of Natsu's most powerful weapons—was suddenly dampened. It was as if that one, small sentence of Galahad's had effectively shut down all of Natsu's primary functions, temperament included. Thankfully, though, it seemed as though that the burning flame of his stormy temper was only simmering; it would be kindled anew in a short while. And when that time came, Natsu wasn't too sure what would become of the situation. Everyone currently in the hospital's east wing would be in danger of incineration, though; that much was clear.

Even Lucy.

All too suddenly, Galahad was standing up, and Natsu planted his feet to prevent himself from inching backwards. Sarsaparilla-green eyes were dark with some unknown emotion as they clashed, for what seemed like forever, with Natsu's. Finally, though, Galahad said, "And if I'm not joking?"

The fury completely blindsided Natsu. Once a meager, flickering, flame that rested in his chest, his rage had, within the span of a few seconds, grown into a sweltering sea of fire that consumed his every thought and action. So, before he knew it, his fist was flying for Galahad's face.

No normal person would have been able to dodge such a fast and swift swipe, and Galahad was no exception. Natsu's curled fist made definite contact with the illusionist's nose, the cartilage giving way like grass blowing with the wind, and released a satisfying crack. Natsu reeled his arm back like a shock put, watching in morbid delight as Galahad stumbled back with a hiss, his hand cupping his nose. Blood seeped through Galahad's tanned fingers, dribbling thickly down his lips and chin.

Silence was exchanged afterwards, neither male needing to say anything. Their actions had said enough, clearly.

Galahad—much to the disappointment of the sadistic part of Natsu's personality—didn't so much as whimper; his face never broke its cool façade. His eyes were still a stoic mask, and his mouth was set firmly, refusing to dip into a frown of pain. He almost looked impassive. In fact, Natsu would have been worried that his punch hadn't even been effective if he hadn't seen the small trail of blood that was now reaching with greedy fingers down to the collar of Galahad's white undershirt.

"O-oh, my…" a startled gasp drew the attention of both men, who craned their necks to see Komaki—Lucy's nurse—standing halfway in the entrance to Lucy's room. Her dark, ruby eyes were filled with trepidation and they were fixated on Natsu, who looked downright feral.

His face, which was usually carefree and smiling and full of good-natured cheer, was twisted and morphed into a combination of rage and confusion. He was nearly unrecognizable with his ruggedly handsome features stuck in such a large grimace and his hands curled into fists, as if ready to leap into a brawl. Even from across the hall, it was easy to see that the muscles in his shoulders and back were tense, coiled, waiting. And his eyes…they drove the nail into the coffin. Almost always filled with light, his green eyes were filled with darkness and shadows that screamed the rage his gnashing mouth refused to release.

Natsu was holding onto a sliver of control.

"Dragneel-san!" Komaki, her voice trembling, gaped. "This…this is a _hospital_; a place of healing, not destruction. P-please don't start fights in the middle of the hallway." Despite the way she skittered between the two glaring men like a terrified mouse, her chin was set in determination and she had a look of authority in her eyes behind the fear. When Natsu didn't say anything, and continued to stare over her head at Galahad, she bravely added, "I think it's best that you leave now, Dragneel-san. Perhaps you should…return when your temper cools down…"

Surprisingly, Natsu psychically recoiled in a half-flinch, as if he almost couldn't believe that he was being scolded. But, still, he didn't move backwards or retreat.

The poor nurse thought for a moment that he was going to ignore her warning, and that she was going to have to call in security to haul him away—and she hated doing that, it disrupted the peace and serenity of the hospital that the patients needed.

He wouldn't look at her, just glared overtop of her head at the young man cradling a crooked, bleeding nose. The dragonslayer's body, like a mass of solid muscle, acted as a still wall; neither moving forward, nor moving back.

But then, as suddenly as he'd drilled his opponent in the face, he spun around and stalked away.

It was then that both Komaki and Galahad realized how blisteringly, stiflingly hot it had been in the hall, as the heat seemed to follow in Natsu's wake, leaving behind an eerily pleasant chill. The nurse shivered, her clipboard tucked under her arm protectively.

Natsu Dragneel was terrifying when angry, just as the rumors stated.

"So sorry about that, miss," came a nasally and guttural apology from behind her. "His anger tends to get the better of him."

Startled, Komaki whirled around, as if just remembering that the man behind her was nursing an obviously very broken nose. It had to be painful, and she gave him his props for still being able to smile without wincing. "Sir, your nose…" she mumbled, shyly making eye-contact. He was…handsome. Really handsome. Her heart fluttered when she looked at him even though he was covered in blood and stuck with an awkwardly twisted nose. "I mean, I can set it for you, if you'd like?"

"That would be," Galahad paused to wipe the blood from his lips with a rueful look, "most helpful."

The nurse smiled kindly and reopened the door to Lucy's room, motioning for Galahad to enter first. He did so after casting a charming smile—well, as charming a smile as a man with a broken nose could muster—and saying, "Thank you." But the smile slid from his face when he caught sight of Lucy, laying prone and looking far too pale with machines hooked up to both of her arms.

His angel looked so…worn.

"She'll be alright, sir," Komaki murmured as she led him to a stool in the corner of the room. "So will the child, if you're wondering."

She'd already prepared a wet rag to dab away the blood from his face and where it ran down the sides of his neck, and her hands were exceedingly gentle around the tender areas. Those hands of hers were small, and smooth, and clean; they seemed to leave a clean streak wherever they travelled. After most of the blood had been smeared away, her eyes zeroed in on his rapidly-swelling nose and assessed the damage done.

"Well," she whispered, "it looks like a clean break; which is good. It will heal much nicer."

Galahad tried to smile, but the pain in his facial region prevented his lip from doing anything more than a simple twitch. The dull throbbing seemed to be getting worse, now that the adrenaline was dwindling down to normal levels…and, by the heavens, it smarted something terrible. Natsu Dragneel, Galahad decided acidly, had quite the right hook.

"That's good," he managed to say. Even if he was in pain, he was still a gentleman—and gentlemen were supposed to be conversational creatures.

Komaki nodded. "I'm going to set it now, if you're ready. Would you like me to count down?"

"No, that's alright. I can handle a simple broken nose."

The nurse, at his obvious farce, let her mouth lift in a smile as her hands came to cradle his face. Palms resting comfortably at his cheekbones, her two thumbs braced either side of his crooked nose. She had to hand it to him, she thought—he didn't so much as twitch when she touched the now purple and swollen flesh. And the only sign of discomfort he gave was when her hands tweaked to the left in a fast, jerky motion; he flinched, his spine jumping at the sharpness of the pain.

"There," she said. "You sat so still that I think I got it aligned perfectly. I'll go get you some ice to help with the swelling." Komaki was walking away within the next second, casting a tranquil smile over her shoulder at her newest 'patient', who returned the gesture. Her heart flipped.

He had a nice smile…

When she shut the door, Galahad couldn't help but chuckle. That nurse, Komaki, she was…cute, in her own way. A little mousy, a bit skittish for his tastes, but pretty enough. He supposed that if he didn't have a preference for busty blondes, he would have considered seeking after her; and by the way a small blush had been dusted across her cheeks the entire time she'd repaired his nose, Galahad knew she would have accepted him in a heartbeat. Like always.

All women were the same.

Well…actually…

Galahad's eyes slowly rolled over to Lucy's bed, where they stayed and refused to move until he registered the rise and fall of her chest. That alone was enough to soothe him. He blinked resignedly.

Almost all women were the same. Almost.

Lucy was different, the exception. She was sarcastic, witty, smart, beautiful, angelic, kind…and more importantly, she didn't see him as simply another man. She saw him as Galahad, the person. Galahad, the one who was more than just a rugged past. She'd accepted him even after knowing truly who he was and _what he'd done_ as a profession. Had looked past his ugly scars, his dirty past, and sinful nature—something not even his own parents had done after finding out.

At first, it had just been a game and part of his job…to get under her skin. Because she was cute when her face was flushed with embarrassment, when she puffed out her cheeks in rage, and when she twirled her blonde hair around her finger when she was anxious. He'd wanted her to make those cute faces for him and only him. She'd been just a mild interest—being his savior, and technically his first love. But…now… She was more than just an interest.

Lucy was…special.

"Damn them," he muttered, closing his eyes and squeezing his hands together. "Damn them all to _hell_." All of the sudden, he was angry. Really angry.

He'd promised to break one certain dragonslayer, to give them what they'd been craving for years now… In exchange, they'd promised to keep away from her, to leave her alone, to not so much as touch a single hair on her beautiful head. And yet…here she was. It was so like them, Galahad thought, to get impatient and act according to their own wishes. They'd never been particularly patient, and it seemed that their levels of tolerance were even lower when it came to Natsu Dragneel.

"Impatient bastards," Galahad snarled to himself as his knuckles turned off-white from being squeezed too hard. "Just you wait… I'm working on it; all I need is a little more time and he'll snap like a twig beneath my boot. One small step at a time…" His eyes opened again, flashing to Lucy.

One small step at a time.

o0o

"_Then, what would you do if that baby were _mine?_"_

Such a simple question—just a question. And yet, it had unleashed a myriad of unpleasant feelings inside of Natsu. Most of it, he easily identified as rage. White-hot, oozing, lava-like in its intensity, rage. But, underneath under all of that rage and fury…was something more volatile. Something akin to confusion, and strangely enough, betrayal. Natsu hated the combination more than anything else in the world. He didn't feel like himself as he stalked through Magnolia, glowering at anything and anyone with his arms crossed as he brooded.

He had no particular reason to feel betrayed—no right, being more like it. While the thought of Lucy being with some strange man had made him feel…angry at first, the thought of her being with _Galahad_ just made him feel as though he were being betrayed, being stabbed in the back.

"_Why Galahad?"_ his heart screamed. _"Why? Why not anyone else? Why not…me?"_

It didn't make sense to him; why he suddenly wished that Lucy had chosen _him_ instead of Galahad. He'd never wanted that before, never really considered it. But, then again…it had never really occurred to him that he and Lucy would part ways someday. He'd just assumed that they would be together, as they always had been, forever. A mistake on his part, he bitterly realized. He should have realized that, sooner or later, Lucy was going to…move on, leave him behind.

Thinking about it now just made his chest ache painfully, and he had to resist stopping in the middle of the street to catch his breath.

"You alright there, young man?" a tender voice asked, making Natsu nearly jump out of his skin. An older woman dressed in warmer, woolen clothes with her silver hair tied up and a basket of flowers in her hands was pegging him with a concerned stare, light eyes warm.

Natsu had to force himself to calm down, and he tried, futilely, to wipe the grimace from his hardened face. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answered in a roughened voice.

The elderly woman considered him for a brief moment, eyes roaming over his figure, before smiling gently. The next thing Natsu knew, she was reaching into her basket, pulling out a daisy, and handing it to him. "A flower for your thoughts?" She was sweet, pleasant, and definitely the kind of lady who baked cookies for the neighborhood children. But Natsu still hesitated. "You look like you could use a friend right about now. Keeping all of your feelings bottled up isn't good for you, you know," she mused sagely.

Natsu looked down at his tanned, scarred and calloused hand where an innocent, freshly picked daisy sat in his palm. In a way, it reminded him of Lucy—pretty, untainted, fresh, yet strong…and not his. "I…" Natsu began, his brows knitting together and another frown marring his face. "I don't understand anymore… I thought since we were friends, we would be together forever; always laughing and smiling and happy. But…I was wrong… Now she's with someone else and I…" He stopped then, feeling conflicted.

"Oh, so a girl then?" the lady hummed, nodding as if she knew exactly what he was going through. "Someone you cherish a lot, I presume?"

"Yeah…" Natsu looked back at the flower, twiddling it between his index finger and his thumb.

The older lady hummed again. "You took her for granted, and now that another man has taken her away from you, you don't know how to feel… Am I correct?"

Stunned, the dragonslayer's head flew up so fast that his neck might have snapped if he were an ordinary man, and his jaw dropped slightly. Once tense and angry, now he only had room to feel suddenly…bare, exposed, and raw…like she had stripped him naked right then and there in the middle of the street. It was an uncomfortable feeling, one that Natsu was not accustomed to.

"You feel jealous, betrayed, at a loss, don't you?" Her light eyes seemed to pin him where he stood, stiffly, on the cobblestone road, gaping like a fish. He didn't need to say anything, the wise woman already seemed to know the answer. "Do you know why you feel that way? Why the thought of seeing her with another man makes you so angry and confused…?" she continued, eyes drifting up to the sky, now purple and pink and orange with the tell-tale signs of sunrise.

_No_, Natsu wanted to tell her. He didn't know why. He'd been searching for the answer for a while now, unable to think of a possible explanation.

"It's because you're in love."

The icy-cold feeling that ran down along Natsu's spine reminded him of a time when, as children, Gray had pranked him by pouring ice cubes down the back of his shirt while he'd been sleeping. The similar cold rush was quickly followed by a numb sensation that started in the tips of his fingers, and despite himself, Natsu couldn't help but take an involuntary step backwards.

"In…love?" His voice cracked painfully, much to his embarrassment, and he could feel heat creeping up the base of his neck.

Natsu was not stupid. He was ignorant—and there was a big difference between being stupid and being ignorant. Of course he knew what love was, he'd been around women in the guild long enough to learn about romance and love. It was all about rainbows, butterflies, unicorns and happily-ever-afters, filled with mushy, sappy, clichéd kisses in the rain.

Even before that, under the care of Igneel, he'd known about love. Mostly from what Igneel had told him, though…and that wasn't much. _"Love is…hard to explain; it has many forms. But you'll know, every dragon knows when they've found the only one for them…"_ had been Igneel's explanation. And, thinking back on it now, it was rather vague and evasive for someone who was supposed to be wise and noble.

"But I thought that…love was a happy emotion…" Natsu struggled to say, fighting down the blood that rushed to his cheeks.

The old woman shook her head, as if amused by the thoughts of a child, and chuckled softly. "No, love is much, much more than just happiness, young man. Love is…love is selfish, and demanding. Because, when you love someone, you want them today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of your life. You get jealous, and possessive, because deep down…you think that your special person is _yours_ and yours _alone_, and sometimes you think that your special someone just might be stolen away from you. It's an awfully complicated thing, love…"

Natsu was staring at his feet.

In…love? With Lucy? Was he really?

All of those times when he'd felt angry for no reason at all, when he'd wanted to punch a hole through someone's face, when he'd felt so jealous he could hardly stand it… All of those times when he had pictured Lucy, naked and helpless and beneath him… All of those times when he felt so happy that he could burst simply because she was happy and smiling… All of those times…

Was it because he was in _love_ with her?

"I'm…in love…?" he murmured to himself.

"You're a man in love if I've ever seen one," the lady snorted with a playful quirk to her lips.

"Then…" Natsu lifted his gaze to meet hers, his green eyes wide. "What do I do? How do I know for sure…?"

"That's a hard question to answer. But I can only tell you this… If you love her, don't let her go." With that the woman peered at the sky in a squint and then waved at him. Tucking her basket of flowers into the crook of her arm, she said, "Well, I have to be going back now. I open shop in about a half hour. Good luck, young man."

He'd be needing that luck, Natsu decided. If he really was in love with Lucy, which made a painful amount of sense now that he was looking back on it, he was going to need luck and the blessings of the heavens on his side. He knew for a fact that he didn't have a romantic bone in his body—just a humorous, and he didn't even know _where_ that one was. Considering that he had zero expertise in this area, and the fact that he was now competing with Galahad…he was going to need help.

A lot of it. Maybe. If he really was in love. He still wasn't too sure about it—was still waiting for that infamous _"aha!"_ moment that all lead males in those cheesy romance novels had.

And a darker part of him wondered if he even stood a chance, even with a massive amount of help…

After all, Galahad was Lucy's perfect type. Tan, tall, buff, with perfect hair and a blinding smile. His skin was smooth, unblemished, and his hands weren't rough from years of punching and clobbering. Not to mention the fact that he was, what Lucy liked to call, _suave_—and Natsu didn't even know what that word meant. But, the fact that it was a term used to _compliment_ _Galahad_ meant that it wasn't a word he cared to know the meaning of.

There were a lot of words he didn't know the meaning of, what was one more?

Either way, the fact remained that Galahad was more…desirable to her. Natsu would give the bastard that much. Otherwise, Lucy wouldn't have…

Well, she wouldn't have slept with him otherwise. If they even _had_ slept together. Natsu wasn't sure that he could trust anything coming out of that bastard's, Galahad's, mouth right now. But, either he was telling the truth, or he wasn't. Fifty-fifty. There _was_ a chance that he really was the father of Lucy's baby...

That thought left sand grits in Natsu's mouth and made his stomach churn uncomfortably. Lucy, he knew, must really have seen something in Galahad if she'd slept with him. And that was a big, big _if_. Because he knew Lucy—she didn't just sleep around with any man. She really had to be in love. There had been so many times where she'd fallen in love with the wrong man, given her body to him, and then come crying to Natsu, heartbroken and feeling genuinely betrayed by all mankind when that same man wound up toying with her heart. There had been so many times where he'd gladly taken those assholes for a nice swim in the river afterwards.

But...Lucy hadn't come to him yet. She wasn't heartbroken, as far as he could tell. So...did that mean that she really was...? That _they_ really had...?

What was Natsu supposed to do with that? Was he even sure, in fact, that he was in love with her?

…He didn't know.

Part of him considered it.

And as he also considered the prospect of deliberately trying to rip apart his best friend's probable romance, the present that had almost been forgotten about, grew heavier in his pocket. With each passing second, Natsu's pocket seemed to get heavier and heavier, until, finally, he sighed gruffly and snatched it out, feeling the soft material in his palm.

He grimaced at it.

It was nothing, really, compared to what Lucy had received. Just something that he'd passed by and thought was cool…something that he'd thought would remind her of him.

Now, as Natsu studied the small, plush dragon in his hand, he didn't know if it was such a good idea anymore. Maybe…Lucy wouldn't want it. She'd gotten plenty of stuffed animals—easily over a dozen. And his gift was so small, anyway. But, still, he couldn't just throw the thing away. Natsu found that he'd grown strangely attached to the little stuffed dragon—with its five different shades of red, fabric horns, soft wings, and pointed snout. It had reminded him a little of Igneel when he'd first seen it.

But, that was no appropriate toy for a child that wasn't of dragon heritage. It wouldn't be nearly as meaningful. So, when Natsu returned home, considerably calmer than when he'd stormed out of the hospital, rather that throwing the toy away, he carefully placed it on his dresser, along with the daisy.

Someday, maybe, he would give it to her. Maybe. If it all worked out alright.

"Happy, I'm back!"

* * *

**_Who's this 'they' Galahad is talking about?! And Natsu...is on the right path to discovering his true feelings! Next time! Chapter 30: The Belladonna_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED: _**_nessa, misssbehavin, NyankoSenpai, lizzysakura21, TLTI, 002Dark1, WolfDemonz, KHLostEmpress, WolfGirlHowlsAtMoon, DD42,__blACkcaTzilpahX25, xNightDreamerx, NaLu, Wasabi-kun, MurrderedByAMarrionette, Tessandrea, SubtleJoy, ChaoticChild, TabsTeam, Kohryu, GuiltyCrown09, ashlieswifty, nstruble012, theformulaofpudding, vampire-fetish15, Soul Hunt, Anon, Venadrill, StarKiss666, pandasxpocky, inuluvskag, Lasy Shisou, xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx, KawaiiOdango, Danny Phantom Fan1, Pikas, KillumeP, SunsetRika, Caelith, sai ninja, hundefrau, the sinner, Alice Harkey, LuvlyLadyLexi, Guest, PameliaCauas, LovingmyOTP's, Collaborative Lady, NonieBee, Cat Goliath, amkhe, maglin, Sinares, mrs. zala, wakamehime530, Doragoniru, LinkWarriorInGreen, Tiger90991, Guest, Briarthorne, DeathBerryHime, KanaeHitomi, xXShadowDragnslayerXx, kuteluver, leoslady4ever, Reika Natsuki _


	30. The Belladonna

_**So, first of all, let me just say that I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO UPDATE. I have good excuses, mind you, but I'm still SO SORRY. Last time you heard from me, I was getting ready to go to Senior Week (which I survived, despite there being a stabbing incident on the boardwalk). Well, we ended up staying a lot longer than planned and I didn't have my laptop with me. And, even if I did have my laptop with me, the Wifi at the condo we had wasn't working, so I couldn't have updated anyway. Afterwards, when I did get home, I found out that my sister had flooded my room... Which, if you all remember, is twice in one year that my room has been flooded by someone leaving the upstairs sink on... Plus, every day I've been busy with graduation parties, birthday parties, pool parties, etc... Today is my first real "free day" since getting out of school.**_

_**Oh, and I also bought myself a 3DS as a graduation present, along with Dream Drop Distance, which I've been playing religiously in my free time...ehehehe...  
**_

_**Anyway, forgive me? I really feel awful about it, believe me! I even posted an apology fic called Happily Ever After for all of you. It's all about Papa!Natsu and my totallly adorable NaLu babies. It's fluffy, so if you love fluff (which I know you do) go check it out and take it as my apology gift, ne?  
**_

_**Special shout out to **__Lady Shisou__ **for being the 1,150th reviewer! And another special shout out to**__ eva lun__** for being the 1,200th reviewer!**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Belladonna**_

* * *

"_It's raining, it's pouring; the young girl is snoring. Bumped her head and she went to bed and she couldn't get up in the morning. Rain, rain, go away; come again another day; I really, really want to play."_

_There was soft, menacing laughter, like the roll of a bass drum. The sound came off as pleased and amused, as if satisfied with something—it reminded her of a parent laughing at the antics of their child…but in a dark and twisted way. Adding to the effect, thunder boomed from somewhere in the distance, muffled and unclear, and the sound of rain was a gentle pitter-patter._

…_Where was she? Why did everything seem so…far away?_

_Though her eyes were heavier than lead, falling like shutters, she forced them open. But, she could only manage a crack, and even then, her sight was blurry. And it was dark. She couldn't see anything at all. _

"_Such a shame," that voice hummed again, languid and much too calm. "Really, so pretty, so angelic, so beautiful… Such a shame that you are his acquaintance… Being with him only causes trouble, you see, and so someone so innocent like you has been dragged into this… Such a shame…" The voice sounded almost…apologetic and regretful. But, it was not genuine. More like a child who had broken his favorite coloring pencil and was sad, but knew their mother would buy them a replacement soon enough._

_Through the blurriness and the darkness came a shape, like a head. She tried to narrow her eyes in order to clear her vision but the shape remained nothing but a dark, unrecognizable blur. Until she spotted the undeniable gleam of teeth in what appeared to be a flash of lightning. The shadow was…smiling at her; all teeth, no lips._

…_Why?_

_Ruffling came to her ears, as if someone or something was moving around, and then…that voice snickered right in her ear, "Goodnight."_

…

Her eyes were open in a flash, and Lucy was bolting upright. Heart racing in her chest, she pressed a clammy hand to her left breast as though it would calm her… It didn't. Instead, she gasped and heaved and tried to take in as much oxygen as she could manage, greedily snatching it from the air. Her eyes were wild as they darted about the room, looking for the intruder, and fear settled, ice cold, in her stomach. But, the more she searched the room and drank in the details…the more she realized that it was daylight…and that she was definitely not in her bedroom.

The room she was in was much too white—hardly any color except for the painting of a garden that hung on the far wall—and far too…she didn't know how to put it other than _sterile_. Everything was pristine, proper, and very obviously clean; not a speck of dirt in sight. And as her ears registered the quiet, but erratic, beeping to her left, Lucy came to the conclusion that she was in a hospital.

Magnolia Central Hospital.

The fact that she was at an actual hospital and not in her guild infirmary could mean only one of a few things…

Lucy, her heart leaping into her throat, slowly dropped both of her hands to her stomach, tentatively brushing her fingertips over it. To her relief, she did feel the swell that she'd become accustomed to seeing and feeling. But, just feeling it wasn't enough—there could still be something wrong with her baby. And the thought terrified her.

At the same time, she marveled at herself. Just a few months earlier, had the baby been injured and in danger of dying, while she would have been sad—the loss of a life was sad, no matter how old or young—a part of her would have been grateful. Now, she felt absolutely sick thinking back on it. If her baby was hurt, or, Mavis forbid _worse_ than just hurt, it would be _all her fault_… She would never be able to forgive herself; she wouldn't even _want_ to forgive herself in the first place. Though she was still coming to terms with motherhood, the fact that she was supposed to protect her baby, who hadn't even taken his first breath yet, was unspoken and instinctual.

Lucy's slim fingers curled protectively around her stomach.

Thousands of scenarios were running through her brain.

What if she bled out? What if the baby now had some form of brain damage? What if he grew abnormalities? _What if…what if…what if…_ What if he was _dead?_

At the feel of something wet splashing onto the back of her hand, Lucy blinked, startled…only to have that same wetness trail down her cheeks. Confused, she scrubbed at her face, letting the sleeve of her off-white hospital gown soak up the strange moisture. But the wetness just returned again, and again, and again; no matter how many times she wiped it away. She was…crying, she realized shortly after. Silently crying, her shoulders beginning to shake, and her throat closing up with the effort of trying not to sob loudly and call attention to herself.

She probably looked pathetic. Sitting, alone, in a hospital room, acting like a blubbering, wailing mess.

"…don't know why Lu-chan would have that in her room. I'm pretty sure she knows what it looks like and what it's capable of, so I can't imagine why she'd keep some," Levy's soft voice came from the other side of the closed door, drawing Lucy's attention.

The blonde sniffed, eyeing the door curiously.

A grunt followed Levy's explanation, as did a gruff, "You don't think that Blondie was thinking 'bout…?" By the nickname alone, Lucy could tell it was Gajeel; but even if he hadn't said _Blondie_, his coarse and dry way of speech was unmistakable.

"No, never!" Levy whispered harshly. Then, she paused, and Lucy could just picture her best friend making her most apologetic face, ashamed for snapping so rudely. Her eyes would be wide and expressive, cheeks pink, and mouth forming a small 'o'. "Sorry," she apologized, like Lucy had assumed she would, "I just… Lu-chan would never. No matter how grim things are, she wouldn't give up like that."

"Ye're right, Short-stuff. Blondie's too…"

"Stubborn?" Levy prompted.

Another grunt; this time, an amused one. "Not the word I was looking fer, but fine."

Levy's tone was chiding, but merry, as she tittered out, "_Gajeel…_" A small laugh followed, then it slowly faded away into silence. When no other sounds came, Lucy thought for a moment that both Levy and Gajeel had left—which was better, because then she would be able to cry as much as she wanted—but, then the solid script mage murmured, "Maybe I should head back to Lu-chan now…"

"I doubt much changed in the past five minutes," Gajeel said blandly. "You've been here all night. I'm gettin' bored waiting for ya to come back."

Levy sighed, sounding resigned and suddenly much too tired. "I know," she acknowledged. "I know, but I want to be there when she wakes up. You can bear to wait just a little bit longer, Gajeel, and then I'll come home—promise. I'll even make your favorite food for dinner and pick up some scrap metal for you."

Something that sounded suspiciously like a snort came from the iron dragonslayer, a relenting sort of sound considering his nature. He was probably crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes, showing that while he wasn't stopping Levy, he didn't approve of her actions. He'd always been like that—so over protective and demanding, and yet, trying to give Levy some space for fear he'd scare her away. "…Fine. But I'm stayin' with ya till you decide to go home." His voice, as usual, was authoritative and leaving no room for argument.

"Alright, I can compromise. But, you just have to be quiet," the door slid open unexpectedly, and Levy stepped inside the room, her back to Lucy, "Lu-chan might still be asleep." The tiny mage was facing Gajeel, who towered over her and barely fit in the doorway, broad shoulders nearly touching the sides of the frame.

Red eyes flickered from where they were focused on Levy's face, to Lucy, who did her best to dry her wet cheeks. He blinked, and if he was surprised, it didn't show—Gajeel only tapped Levy on the shoulder, murmured, "Oi, Shrimp," and then nodded in Lucy's direction. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, the epitome of casual.

"Lu-chan," Levy whispered when she turned around. The first thing that the solid script mage noticed was that her friend's eyes were red and puffy, as though she'd been crying just moments before, and when Levy's amber eyes landed on Lucy's hands cradling her stomach, she understood. "…Lu-chan and I want to be alone, Gajeel," she said over her shoulder, and ignored the splutter her partner gave.

"Oi, what happened to _compromise?_" he growled.

Levy's head swiveled to meet his irritated glare, her big eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. It was her warning glance—one that hardly worked on anyone since she only managed to look like a ruffled fairy; with her nose scrunched and her cheeks pink. "I'll pick up double the amount of scrap metal," she tempted cheekily.

"Tch." Gajeel crossed his arms, his muscles bulging in a dominant display. Apparently, he was not at all satisfied with Levy's attempt at persuasion.

"I'll make you breakfast tomorrow, too."

"…And?" His stance softened, but his eyes were still hard.

Levy sighed, rolling her eyes before saying, "And lunch…_and_ dinner." And when Gajeel finally uncrossed his arms, she huffed and shook her head. The saying was true—the sure fire way to control a man was through his stomach; and, apparently, that went doubly for male dragonslayers.

"…Fine," Gajeel muttered.

He would give in for now, and let them have their girl-chat…didn't mean that he had to like it, though. If there was someone, or some_thing_, going around and breaking into women's apartments, there was no way in his right mind that he would leave Shorty all alone. But…he supposed that she was fairly safe in a hospital—and besides, she hadn't specifically told him to leave and go home, now had she? So, with reluctance in his step, Gajeel turned and left, shutting the door behind him none too softly.

Maybe he'd go down to the cafeteria and swipe a metal tray or something…

Now alone in the hospital room, Levy shook her head, eyes rolling up to the ceiling in exasperation. "Men," she said. She chuckled softly to herself, but when Lucy didn't reciprocate, she grew solemn and went to sit on the edge of Lucy's bed. It barely dipped beneath her weight. "Lu-chan…" Her eyes were wide and full of understanding.

Lucy sniffed, trying her damndest to keep from breaking into tears again. Crying so often was becoming a habit of hers, one that she was _not_ fond of. Crying was for small children and little girls—not for a nearly full-grown woman who was almost a mother. So, through sheer determination alone, the celestial spirit mage smothered her tears, and bit back her sniffles.

"Levy-chan… I…" Her hands curled into her stomach again. "The baby…?"

Levy's smile was soft and comforting. "The nurse told me he's fine, Lu-chan. No harm done; just startled him a bit."

All of Lucy's worries vanished on spot, her shoulders growing less tense, and she hung her head in sheer mitigation. But, to her frustration, a single tear of relief escaped from her right eye. It was the stupid hormones, not her. "Thank Mavis," she mumbled, wiping it away quickly. Lucy lay back against her pillow, stroking her abdomen with affection, and a small smile on her flushed face. "Thank Mavis…"

Her baby was safe…that was all that mattered.

…Not the fact that there had been someone in her apartment. Or even that the intruder had blatantly attacked her.

Her stomach rolled uneasily.

"Ne, Levy-chan…how did I get here?"

Sitting on the edge of the white bed, Levy blinked at her friend's question. Strangely, though, her answer almost seemed hesitant, as if she simply didn't care to reply. Her eyes fell downward. "Natsu and Gajeel found you in your apartment last night, unconscious with a head wound. Natsu carried you here and Gajeel went to inform the rest of us."

Lucy lifted a hand to feel about her crown, wincing when she came into contact with a bump on the back of her skull. It was achingly tender, and throbbed when she touched it a second time; and she thought she could even feel stitches. She'd been…pushed into her bedside table—she remembered that now. Looking back towards Levy, Lucy noticed the petit mage's obvious discomfort; the way that her eyes shifted from one spot to another, never really focusing on something, the way that her hands were beginning to wring themselves, the way that she nibbled on her bottom lip as though it were candy…

"Is…something wrong, Levy-chan?" Lucy tentatively asked.

"Eh?" Levy blinked a few times, appearing almost startled out of her thoughts. "Oh, um, it's nothing, really…"

But anyone would have been able to tell, Lucy was sure, that the bluenette was lying. Which troubled Lucy—Levy always told her anything and everything; there wasn't any secrets between them, even though Lucy had, originally, planned to keep her very best friend in the dark about the matter between herself and Natsu. They'd come a long way since then, however, so the fact that Levy was trying to keep something to herself…unnerved Lucy.

"…Levy-chan," whispered Lucy, her tone pleading and hopeful.

In response, Levy's eyes clenched shut and her mouth tightened into a thin line. And for a moment, Lucy thought that she was going to continue lying, but, then, she mumbled, "Do you know what Nightshade is?" Her question was as quiet as a fearful schoolgirl's.

"Nightshade? It's a poisonous flower and berry; a _deadly_ poison that can kill a person in a single day if eaten…"

Levy nodded, but her face remained grim and troubled.

Sitting up, Lucy reached for her best friend's hand, utterly confused. "…What does Nightshade have to do with anything, Levy-chan?"

Nightshade, thankfully, was not a natural inhabitant of Fiore—if it _was_ in Fiore, it was in a controlled greenhouse and used for scientific purposes only.

"Belladonna is the more deadly form of Nightshade; it can stop a person's heart in only a few hours," Levy continued, letting Lucy touch her hand, "and it is extremely hard to come by in Magnolia. In Fiore in general…"

Lucy nodded her head in agreement. She did not have extensive knowledge on flowers or general greenery, much unlike her late mother who'd loved gardening, and she'd never really paid flowers much mind. But she did know about the deadly, rare Nightshade—Belladonna; beautiful, exotic, and graceful but deadly as sin.

"…Why was there Belladonna in your room, Lu-chan?"

Confusion was the first thing to register in Lucy's mind as she fixed Levy with a blank stare. "Belladonna? In my room? What are you talking about, Levy-chan? Why would I have Belladonna?" the questions tumbled from her mouth much like a curious child, a nonstop flood.

Levy pulled her hand back, sitting up straighter on the pristine bed, and firmly made eye contact with Lucy, who shivered at the intensity. That look of Levy's was usually reserved for Jet and Droy when they gave Gajeel too much trouble, or for when Gajeel accidently defiled one of her favorite books—it was a serious look. "There was Belladonna on your windowsill. Gajeel found it when he and Natsu discovered you…"

Taken aback, Lucy's mouth only dropped open. She didn't know what to say. _Nightshade—Belladonna?_ In _her_ room? Where on Earthland had it come from? Certainly not _her_, if that was what Levy was thinking, and by the look that the solid script mage was wearing, Lucy came to the conclusion that that was exactly what was running through her friend's head.

"Surely you don't think that…" Lucy began, stopping when Levy's hardened gaze dropped to her hands. "Levy-chan, I would never! I'd never even think about…about _poisoning_ myself! You have to know that; you're my best friend…"

"I know," Levy replied softly. "I know you would never, which was why I was so confused. It isn't like you at all to just give up. But, I still had to make sure. And I'm so thankful that I was right…"

"I don't even know how to get Nightshade, or Belladonna for that matter… How did it get into my room?" wondered the blonde as her coffee-colored eyes skimmed upwards, like she would find the answers carved into the ceiling of her hospital room.

Levy heaved a great sigh. "I've been wondering about that myself… If it wasn't you, then it had to have been someone else. There's no possible way that finding something like Belladonna is a mere coincidence; it had to have been purposely put there… But by who?"

All of the sudden, Lucy stiffened where she sat, spine locking and growing rigid. Images of the night before came flashing back—darkness, thunder, lightning, and a voice…

"_Such a shame that you are his acquaintance… Being with him only causes trouble, you see, and as a result, someone so innocent like you has been dragged into this… Such a shame…"_

"There was…someone in my apartment…" she murmured, her eyes closing. "They pushed me into my bedside table and then they…talked to me for a little while. Said something about _"he only causes trouble"_… Maybe they left it there?" As a warning? Or something else? The thought sent shivers down Lucy's stiff spine and made her hug her shoulders.

"Gajeel did mention that there was a strange scent present…but neither he or Natsu knew if it was an acquaintance of yours that they simply didn't know, or if it really was an intruder."

Lucy found herself snorting, her teeth grinding. "It was definitely an intruder—whoever it was. I didn't see their face, it was too dark, but I think it was a man… His hands were pretty rough, and his voice was awfully low, and from what I could tell, he was pretty tall… And he was _not_ invited inside… I don't even know how he got in," she muttered. If she recalled correctly, there had been no smashing of doors, no shattering windows, _nothing_… The squeak of a floorboard and her raw, untapped instincts had alerted her to his presence…

His approach had been silent and deadly…like Nightshade.

Something clicked. "…It was his calling card. The Belladonna…"

Levy's look was aghast. "What?" Her face had gone white as a sheet, eyes wide and filled to the brim with worry that was almost tangible. "A calling card… That means he'll probably come after you again, Lu-chan!" she hissed frantically, sweet face contorted in panic.

"Natsu and Gajeel scared him off last time… I think he's too scared to go after me when I'm with other people. I think I should be safe if I have someone stay with me," Lucy said speculatively, thinking back to the encounter. She couldn't remember much, but she was sure that with Natsu by her side, she would be more than safe.

…If he agreed to it in the first place.

"I'll take the matter up with Master," Levy assured, "but what if he does come back? It's not safe, Lu-chan… Maybe you should move to Fairy Hills for a few months, just until this whole thing blows over."

Somberly, Lucy shook her head. "While I appreciate the thought, Fairy Hills is a bit crowded, ne? I don't want to be an inconvenience—I'd have to take all of my stuff with me, and I have a lot of stuff. Besides, wouldn't that be just what the intruder would expect? We should catch him off guard by letting me stay in my apartment."

Levy remained unconvinced and she rubbed her forehead. "I don't know… I'm just worried about you… But, I guess if we have someone stay with you, then it should be okay… But who would volunteer?"

"Natsu."

Lucy sucked her lips back, red faced and blushing up to the roots of her hair. Her answer had been so impulsive, she hadn't been able to stop herself from blurting out the name of the one person she wanted to see—Natsu. He'd rescued her, _again_, ran with her to find help, _again_, and then disappeared, _again_… The last thing she wanted was for time to pass and for her to forget to thank him. Again.

Levy blinked owlishly, thick eyelashes fluttering around her golden eyes. Then, instead of giggling and teasing—as Lucy suspected she would have done on any normal day—she frowned. "…I don't know if that's a good idea, Lu-chan… Natsu's been out of sorts since last night. He and Galahad got into a fight."

A sigh escaped Lucy's lips. She leaned back into her plush pillow as her back began to ache from sitting up for too long. "That's nothing new; they fight all the time. For once, I just wonder what it would be like if they could just get along…" she muttered, rubbing her lower back and hoping the aches would soon fade.

"No, Lu-chan, this time it ended in physical blows on Natsu's part… He broke Galahad's nose."

"Eh?" Lucy gasped, her hand stilling.

While Natsu and Galahad had made it plain as day that they weren't ever going to be on the friendliest of terms, they'd never actually gone so far as to take a swipe at one another. They stuck mostly to taunting and jeering and making silent threats. The only person that Natsu ever brawled with was Gray—and that was a norm; it happened nearly every day, so everyone had quickly gotten used it. Besides, Natsu and Gray had never seriously wanted to injure each other…maybe just incapacitate or maim. But not _hurt_.

This, though, sounded as if Natsu had wanted to make Galahad hurt.

Lucy couldn't lie; had this happened months earlier, she supposed she would have been smug about it. Galahad was so self-serving, manipulative, and narcissistic that it made her toes curl. But, lately, he'd…changed. She didn't know how else to put it. Ever since she'd found out about the new life inside her, he'd been…more genuine.

And, for a moment, she'd actually thought that they really could become good friends.

So, now…she didn't know what to think. Natsu, her best friend, almost-mate, and father of her unborn child, and Galahad, the wounded, warped and twisted soul whom she'd come to appreciate—if only a little—had just escalated to a new level of _enemies_.

"…Is Natsu alright?" Lucy asked hesitantly, her mouth dry.

Levy nodded. "I saw him earlier—he's alright; not a scratch on him from what I could see. But he seemed a little… I don't know…distant? He had this faraway look in his eyes, like he was thinking really hard about something… And he was frustrated. He took it out on Gray, like usual."

A small pause settled, Lucy deep in thought. It didn't take very long for the curiosity to settle into place, and it was only seconds afterwards that she asked, "What…was the fight about? Did they say?"

"Natsu was angry with Galahad for wanting to stay until you were awake, according to Galahad himself," Levy answered cautiously. "But, I don't know how valid that statement is. It just doesn't seem like Natsu to act out like that…"

Lucy agreed with a short bob of her head and a sigh. She hated to admit it, but… "Natsu has been a bit strange lately, Levy-chan… Ever since this whole mess happened, he just hasn't been the same, I don't think… It makes me sad to think about it…but…maybe he's changing…"

Everything was changing.

Herself, Galahad, her way of life, her future…and now Natsu…

Everything was changing…

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**_Someone's after Lucy? Looks like Fairy Tail is due for another all-out brawl... Next time! Chapter 31: The Attack_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:_**_ eva lun, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, The__CookieMonster77, Animeraaww, Soaring Dragon, Juludy Lyd 0211, Guest, MisticaRevy, koori no hime, nessa, Ryuu no Senshi, Unspokenheard, Crow-DarkHeart, Sherribomb, StarKiss666, amkhe, ChaoticChild, KillumeP, Guest, KawaiiOdango, pandasxpocky, Pikas, LuvlyLadyLexi, The Keeper of Worlds, miss ejb, Danny Phantom Fan1, NaLu, formulaofpudding, Kohryu, hundefrau, Caelith, 002Dark1, Professor Nebilim, maglin, Cat Goliath, SunsetRika, Wasabi-kun, Anon, Guest, Lady Shisou, xXShadowDragonslayerXx, lizzysakura21, KHLostEmpress, Guest, QueenP19, rini24, Sinares, Alice Harkey, wakamehime530, Tiger90991, leoslady4ever, Riley7741, Catwho, LovingmyOTP's, spygrl007, GuiltyCrown09, GoldenKitty, Reika Natsuki _

**_Ya'll can pretty much skip this part underneath as it is a reply to a guest reviewer...but, if you wan't to read, then go on ahead!_**

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_Soaring Dragon:_ **Hi there! While I appreciate your input, I do wish that you would have done a little research first before deciding to correct me. Before writing this story, I did a fair amount of research on the layout of Fiore, Magnolia in particular. **

**Magnolia does indeed have a hospital; not everyone is part of a guild or can use magic, you know. Civilians need a place to be taken care of. Also, women's bodies change when they're pregnant. Gajeel didn't want to take Lucy to Wendy because he didn't know if the girl (she's only 12, you know) could use magic without somehow hurting the baby. **

**As for Lacrima-this Lacrima-that... They DO have Lacrima-visions. What do you think the people in the stands at the Grand Magic Games were watching? The fighting was too far away for them to actually see anything... And I never once said that they used cellphones, because they don't. I do think they have telephones, however. **

**And concerning the language... I don't know if you've noticed, but in the story, they DO cuss. A lot. Fucking this, what the hell, shit, and so on... And where it concerns the Mavis-this, Mavis-that, Earthland-this, Earthland-that... I don't know about you, but I don't think their religion is quite the same, hence the ommitence of the term "God" and why it's replaced with someone they both respect and know, "Mavis". And they don't live on Earth, they live on Earthland, so of course they're going to say "What on Earthland" instead of "What on Earth". Because not _everyone_ in Fairy Tail cusses (could you imagine Bisca, or Laki, or Kinana, or Wendy cussing? Me neither).  
**

**Now, for the pitfall thing... It was deeper than twice Natsu's height. How was he supposed to get out? He couldn't stand on Galahad's shoulders, and it wasn't like they were strong enough to throw each other out. And it wasn't like he just stood there and waited to be rescued-he continued trying to dig his way out because he knew Lucy needed him.**

**The book that Lucy found for her research, she found a book about Dragon Matings, not dragonslayer. I agree, finding a book about about dragonslayer matings would be too convenient. A dragon book, however, would be more likely since I figure the species was vastly studied by everyone on Earthland before they disappeared. **

**As for the Pergo thing, who knows? Maybe they do, maybe they don't. I was just tired of describing everything with the term "wood".**

**Anyway, sorry for such a lengthy reply, I do hope you don't take offense to this. But, I just wanted to point out that I did a fair amount of thinking towards EVERYTHING that I put in this story. Research too. I did research for a good three weeks before I even started writing the outline... So, anyway, thanks for reviewing and I hope this cleared everything up!**

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_**Ahem, review?  
**_


	31. The Attack

_**Before anything else, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for not updating last week. I had a bit of an emergency: my cat went missing. He came home just this morning, thank god, but he was gone for a whole week. The most he'd ever been gone before that was 12 hours, so, I hope you all can understand my panic. I spent most of my time looking through the woods and gutters... I have so many bug bites that it's not even funny anymore. Anyway, my Jazzy-boy is okay, but some assbutt shot him with a BB gun in the back of the head... Thankfully, I don't think my baby needs treatment because the wound has already scabbed over.**_

_**There's more info and a picture of my baby on my tumblr page if you're curious :)**_

_**Anywayyy.**_

_**Special shout out to** Maria **for being the 1,250th reviewer! And also, special shout out to **koori no hime **for being the 1,234th reviewer!**  
_

_**AND HAPPY NALU WEEK! Sorry I haven't been able to contribute anything, I've been a wee bit busy this week. I might post some late NaLu week stuff a little later. Maybe. Hopefully.**_

_**AND ALSO, HAPPY JULY 7TH. The day the dragons disappeared...dun dun dunnnn.**_

_**Anyway, read on, my lovelies!**_

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_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Attack**_

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The knowledge that Lucy had been attacked in her own apartment left the air stale in Fairy Tail, and as smoke curled and danced in the light that flooded through the rafters, no one spoke. That stale atmosphere seemed to only grow more terse with unease and disbelief as the time passed. After all, a specific attack on one of their _nakama_ was all but unheard of. They'd thought that no one if Fiore would be brave, or stupid, enough to even _dare_ an attempted attack of a member of Fairy Tail when they were unarmed, innocent, in the comfort of their own home, and _pregnant_. It was bad enough that the intruder had jumped an innocent woman in her own home.

But the fact that this person had so blatantly laid their hands on an obviously pregnant woman meant that whoever they were, they were downright despicable. The lowest of the low, not worth much more than the dirt caked into the grooves of Gajeel's boots. And he'd been plodding in the mud left over from the rain a few days prior, which meant that his boots were absolutely filthy.

At this thought, he sulked even further into his seat at the bar and resisted slamming his mug down onto the counter. He was drinking ale, and while that was rare for dragonslayers due to their exceptional sense of taste, he found that he needed it.

Desperately.

Ever since Blondie had been attacked and sent to the hospital, the guild had been restless. Shorty hadn't been much better. In fact, she'd been worse than everyone else put together—pacing the floor to the point where he swore she would wear holes in it, wringing her hands till they were chapped, biting on her lip until it bruised, thinking to the point that she had to sit down with a cold compress and some pain killers to ward off a monstrous headache.

Seeing her like this drove Gajeel crazy. Because when she was like this, fretting and worrying and panicking, she never listened to a word he said; even if he had good advice or was asking her to sit and rest. That bookworm was more stubborn than he was at times. And while Gajeel usually enjoyed that—the non-physical struggle for dominance was always a thrill—it was when she was like this that he grew rather irritated with her.

Her bullheadedness had its limits, though, and it appeared as though she'd reached hers as she leaned into his side from the seat next to him. Levy sighed, her petit shoulders slumping, and then groaned audibly. Another headache more than likely.

"Oi," Gajeel muttered, jerking his elbow to startle her. Levy grimaced, opening her too-large and too-innocent eyes to fix him with a pitiful look that almost made him squirm.

The look said: _please? Just for now? _

"…Fine. But if ya fall asleep, I ain't taking you home."

Which, they both knew, was a bit fat lie.

Gajeel wouldn't be able to leave her alone, asleep, at the bar in the guild—the thought was preposterous. She wasn't going, or staying, anywhere alone considering recent circumstances. Besides, as long as she was actually getting some shuteye, he supposed he didn't damn well care where she slept. She'd slept hardly a wink in the past few days, and she didn't have to say anything for him to know; he could tell. Even if she hadn't bothered to cover up the bruise-colored bags underneath her eyes with makeup.

So, when she snuggled into his muscled shoulder like it was the softest, fluffiest pillow in Fiore, Gajeel just snorted and took another swig of ale.

It burned his throat in an unpleasant way, made his tongue curl from its spicy taste, and if he hadn't had so much self-control, he would have started hacking. He settled for scowling instead. Alcohol was just what he needed right now—the strong taste almost washed away the morbid air in the guild hall. Almost. It was still there, still easily identifiable, ever-thick and potent.

"Poor Levy…" Mirajane sighed from her perch behind the counter. Like usual, she was drying cups and stacking them back in their place. But, while she usually did this with a smile, nothing but a frown rested on her pale, luscious lips. "She's been worrying so much, hasn't she?" she asked Gajeel, pale eyes turning on him.

He blinked bloody-red, cat-like eyes in response, a guttural, "Yeah," rumbling from the back of his throat. "The midget won't damn well sit still, not even to eat." He swore she looked thinner than she had just last week—which meant that when she wasn't under his watch, she was skipping meals.

Mirajane's look was pitying, powder-blue eyes big and round and soft with understanding. She reached out with a pale hand to pat his other shoulder—the one that wasn't occupied with a sleeping midget—reassuringly. "Don't worry. Lucy will be released soon—they just have to do some tests on her to make sure that she and the baby are both okay. Doctors are very thorough. But, once she's released, I'm sure Levy will spring right back," she said as if she knew all. And she probably did—well, if not, then at least she knew more than Gajeel. But that wasn't saying much. She smiled again. "Don't worry."

Gajeel snorted and closed his eyes tightly, like it would block away the image of the barista's knowing smile. The studs that served as his eyebrows pulled together as he worked a scowl firmly into place and reopened his eyes. "Who the hell said I was worried? I ain't bloody worried."

But anyone could tell that he was. It was no secret to the rest of the guild that Gajeel's world practically revolved around Levy—and yet, the iron dragonslayer still insisted, obstinately, that she was nothing but an unwanted responsibility. That he owed her for all those years ago, from before he'd revolutionized and discovered the true meaning of belonging and _nakama_ and power. How he couldn't see that his gruff desire to simply repay his debts had turned to intrigue—and intrigue to affection—no one knew. Maybe it was just that all dragonslayers were naturally dense.

So, despite the tense aura that permeated the air like a fog, a few straggling members smiled into their beers at the sight of at least one relationship that was blooming—if slowly.

"She's a damn nuisance when she's restless, I hope ya know. Never sitting down, never taking a minute to breathe. It's annoying as hell," Gajeel muttered, craning his neck to the side in order to give the bluenette, who was using his shoulder like a pillow, a glare that had no real intent behind it.

He was worried, no matter what he said.

A soft grin found its way to Mira's lips as she turned to set another mug on the rack. At least one good thing was coming out of all of this, she mused silently to herself. Even if both parties involved were oblivious.

A thoughtful hum came from the other side of Gajeel. "Perhaps the poor dear would feel better if we decided to assign Lucy a body-guard like she asked," Makarov suggested, his tone sagely, but his eyes glittering perversely.

Gajeel bit back the urge to growl. Instead, he shifted so that Levy was kept farther from their inadvertently-lecherous Master. Gajeel hadn't even noticed the old geezer's presence until he'd spoken, which spoke volumes for the dragonslayer's level of distraction. Tch. Levy really was a handful, even when she was asleep.

"Ya think?" he muttered and eyed Makarov sharply.

"I think we'd all feel better if Lucy was assigned a proper escort," said Galahad from a dark corner. He didn't surprise Gajeel this time, who'd noticed his presence when he'd first come into the guild. The illusionist had been standing there all morning, in the darkest corner of the guild hall, staring at nothing and taking slow drags off a cigarette.

Funny, Gajeel thought. The pretty-boy didn't look the type to smoke, but then again, appearances were deceiving. Gajeel knew that all too well.

Levy was a prime example—initially, she looked soft, submissive, and easily persuaded; but anyone who knew her well knew that she was anything but. In reality, the bookworm, while she really was a nerd—and Gajeel found himself using the term fondly on far too many occasions—was stubborn, and fierce, and hardly submissive. Gajeel liked his women silent, busty, and generally not as intelligent as himself. But…he supposed handling someone like Levy—someone brilliant, flat-chested, and much too cheeky when she felt like it—wasn't so particularly terrible.

And that troubled him. Maybe he was becoming, as Leo had put it, a lolicon…

Gajeel's eyes narrowed where they were fixated, and that just so happened to be on Galahad, who took the look as more of an offense. The blonde-haired stud pulled the cigarette from his lips and blew out a ring of white smoke, crossing his arms. "I know I can personally vouch for that," he continued and closed his bright eyes.

"Juvia as well," the water mage said rather glumly, sitting by herself at a table. For once, Gray was nowhere in sight, which just went to say how much she was troubled by all of this. She and Lucy really were very good friends, even if she'd accused the blonde of trying to steal away her _Gray-sama_ on more than one occasion. "Lucy-san is vulnerable because she isn't allowed to use magic… A body-guard would be best, in Juvia's opinion. But Gray-sama is off-limits," she added for good measure.

"Ah, I'll take that into consideration, m'dear," their Master consented with a nod of his head and a grin. Juvia's territorial tendencies over Gray never ceased to amuse him, even though Gray often found them irritating and uncalled for. Ah, Makarov sighed, young love at its finest. "Any volunteers among us gathered here?" he asked aloud, seemingly to the ceiling as he peered upward at it.

And for a while, no one spoke. No one raised their hand, either.

Gajeel doubted that it was due to fear. Fairy Tail wasn't full of cowards, a fact of which he was proud. They were, however, sensible, and respected their more capable _nakama_. And Gajeel was sure that every single person currently in the hall was thinking of the one person who, if he were present, would have leapt at the opportunity. Because, he was Lucy's best friend. And her sort-of mate, in a fucked up sense, which only Levy and Gajeel knew about.

There were those present who would have volunteered, but, everyone present also had a respect for Natsu's friendship with Lucy. Because, on a deeper level, most of them kind of knew that the two were a little more than best friends. More than best friends, less than lovers—to their eyes, at least—and still bumbling young adults.

However, there was one…

"If no one else is stepping up, then I am more than prepared." It was Galahad, who'd stepped out from the shadows with his still-lit cigarette hanging in his fingers. His jade-green eyes were alight with determination, jaw set in a way that said he'd made up his mind. He'd more than made up his mind, it seemed.

"Ah, very good, Galahad," Makarov hummed from his seat at the bar. His eyes were closed, the wrinkles on his face slowly smoothing out as he breathed deeply. Though he was too stubborn to show it, he too, was affected by this new threat. Every blow to one of his children, he felt as a personal insult and a blow to himself. "I'm sure Lucy will appreciate it."

Galahad nodded, his mouth opening to say something.

He was cut off, however, by a soft, sleepy voice that drew everyone's attention. "If you're going to be Lu-chan's body-guard, you need to know what you're protecting her from," Levy murmured.

Startled, Gajeel's neck almost snapped when he glanced down sharply at her, red eyes declaring his disapproval. She hadn't been sleeping at all, the little punk. Only pretending, and listening in on the conversation the whole time. It made Gajeel angry—she needed her sleep, dammit, and it couldn't have been healthy for her to hang on the edge of rest like that for so long. Her body was probably aching for it, craving it, starved of the sleep it needed.

"What the hell, Shrimp?" he growled down at her.

Her eyes were still closed, her head still resting on his shoulder—which he knew, couldn't have been comfortable; his clothes weren't exactly made to be soft and comforting—but there was a furrow in her brow now. "Don't snap at me," she grumped. Levy was only grumpy when she was either on her lady-business, or really, _really_ tired.

Gajeel wisely said nothing more on the matter.

"When Lu-chan was found, her attacker had left behind a calling card of some sort…" She paused to yawn, and her amber eyes opened blearily, unfocused. She blinked a few times, trying to concentrate, but gave up a little while later, clearly too tired to force herself to do anything. "A Belladonna—Nightshade," she clarified for those who didn't have extensive knowledge of greenery, "on her windowsill."

From across the way and out of the corner of his eyes, Gajeel caught Galahad flinching. But, the illusionist quickly straightened his spine and resumed a neutral face before anyone else could notice.

"I've…" Levy yawned again, "…looked for anything related to both names—Belladonna and Nightshade—like dark guilds, criminals, et cetera… But…_nothing_," and she said the word with a great deal of frustration. Nothing frustrated the solid script mage more than not being able to do research properly. "I couldn't find anything. But it _is_ a calling card; it has to be. And I'm sure whoever it is will come back a second time—maybe not for Lu-chan, but they'll come back…" She sighed after she was finished.

"Alright," Gajeel rumbled morosely, "I'm taking ya home."

What she needed now, more than anything else, was a good night's rest. Or two night's rest. Maybe even more. And he, Gajeel was sure, would have to sit in her apartment to make sure it got seen through. The dragonslayer wrapped his bulking arm around her slender shoulders to shift her so that he could go to pick her up. She wouldn't fancy being carried, but, they both knew she hardly had it in her to talk, much less walk all the way back to her apartment.

But before he could do anything else, Gajeel was interrupted by Galahad saying, "They're a group of bandits; Belladonna. Not quite a guild, too little people to be called a guild. But a nasty group to tangle with all the same, or so I've heard…"

And the guild went eerily silent again.

Nearly everyone had their sights set on Galahad, who was taking another long and slow drag off his cig, the butt glowing in the dim light of the beer hall. He appeared nonchalant about the matter, detached, as if he were talking about grocery shopping and not a deadly group of bandits that, apparently, had their sights set on Lucy. Those green eyes of his that practically glowed on every occasion were duller now, as if he were mulling over something, and thinking about it deeply.

Gajeel was the one to break the silence. "How do you know that?" he demanded. "Even Shorty couldn't find a lick about them. And…" He stopped himself briskly, physically biting his tongue. He'd been about to say, _And nobody does better research than she does_, but…something was holding him back. Gajeel honestly didn't know what it was…but he knew better than to openly compliment her. He settled for, "And she ain't ever wrong. Ever."

The dream caster didn't flinch, even as Gajeel's frightening eyes zeroed in on him. Instead, he smiled. Grimly, bleakly, with no life behind it at all. "They're well known where I'm from. Very secretive, very thorough, very good at leaving no trace behind if they choose. A group of well-trained assassins, with skills varying in ranges, and an insatiable taste for violence." His words were cold, dead, void of any emotion. "And you're right—they'll be coming back. They don't leave their jobs half-finished."

Makarov was alert and sharp as a tack instantly, his old eyes acute and probing as ever. When faced with a potentially lethal threat, their Master was a force to be reckoned with, and his fury knew no bounds. He was vengeance in physical form, though the small size and wrinkles were deceiving to many. "Will you be alright? Maybe we should assign more than one guard, just in case."

"No," Galahad assured his Master, "I can handle this, I promise. Nobody knows them like I do; I've had the privilege of seeing their work up close and personal." And his handsome face twisted into something gruesome—a look that spoke of dark things that shouldn't ever, and wouldn't ever, be brought into the light.

Gajeel snorted. So the pretty-boy had some history, it seemed. All the better, in the iron dragonslayer's opinion—dark histories always managed to spice things up, make them more interesting. And it always led to strong, unbreakable warriors; which just so happened to be Gajeel's favorite type of person. One with a dark past, and the strength to prove it.

"Hold it."

And everyone froze, their spines chilling at the new voice that spoke so clearly, so commandingly, so steely. They didn't need to turn around to know that Natsu had just entered the room; they could tell it was him just by the slight shift in temperature and the sudden feelings of hostility in the air. He'd always had a commanding aura about him, one that demanded attention and obedience, but it was usually off put by his cheery grin and childlike behavior.

Now, though, there was nothing childlike or cheery about him. Just pure hostility and malice that seemed to roll off of his corded shoulders in waves as he stalked forward and glared daggers at Galahad. Just Galahad—no one else.

"Lucy is my partner," he said lowly, coming to a stop just before Galahad. Eyes that usually belied nothing but kindness were hard, anger as hot as molten lava clear in their depths, and every single muscle on his body was drawn as taut as a bow string. Like a large cat, he was waiting to pounce. "I'll look after her, it's my responsibility." He said it as if there was no room for argument, not that anyone would dare to argue with him when he was so…fired up.

Anyone but Galahad, really.

The illusionist blinked, unperturbed by his _nakama's_ declaration and hostile stance. In fact, he looked rather relaxed, almost as if he'd expected Natsu to come charging in…which wouldn't have surprised anyone, really.

The little spat would have ended there. But when Natsu turned to stalk away, saying "off to see Lucy," over his shoulder, Galahad moved. With the reflexes of a well-trained fighter, he grabbed Natsu by the shoulder, spun him around, and promptly ducked from the fist that came flying his way in response.

Natsu yanked his shoulder back with a scowl, bringing his arms up and clenching his hands into fists in preparation to strike again.

Galahad stood still, his legs spread apart in a lax stance, hands shoved into his pockets with his cigarette still dangling from his lips.

Not a word was said between the two males, but words weren't needed to express what they felt for each other. The level of intensity in the air sky-rocketed as they simply stared each other down, neither willing to make the first move. While Natsu appeared wound up, ready to punch the living daylights out of the next thing that dared to breathe, Galahad continued to simply stand there and occasionally blow out a puff of heady-smelling smoke.

Finally, though, Makarov cut in. "Oi, oi, you brats," he snapped. "Don't go starting any fights inside the guild. If you want to have at each other, do it outside where you won't damage my property." The old man pointed to the door, his tone full of authority.

Reluctantly, Galahad and Natsu trudged to the open door. But they never once took their eyes off each other, always making sure to keep within retaliating distance should one of them spring into action first. And once they were outside, the sparks flew, unhindered.

Natsu rounded on his heel, delivering a wicked, full-strength punch to Galahad's face. Galahad swerved to the side, missing the blow by mere centimeters. "You're not Lucy's partner," Natsu hissed at him, pulling back.

Galahad shook his head and tossed his used cigarette to the ground before rubbing it out with his boot. "No," he said, kicking the stub to the side, "I'm not. But I'm more than willing to be there for her if she needs me."

"She doesn't need you." Natsu's words were as sharp as Gajeel's favorite knives.

"Oh?"

"She has me."

The look Galahad sent was just as smoldering as it was mocking, green eyes gleaming with some strange emotion that Natsu couldn't identify. "Does she really? As I recall, every time she's needed you, you were off sulking on your own."

It was meant to sting and hurt. And sting and hurt it did; Natsu flinched as though he'd been branded on the most sensitive strip of his flesh. His eyes were closed tightly, like he was hoping that he could block out the truth that rang in Galahad's tone. But he couldn't deny it—every time that Lucy had needed him, he'd been off on his own. He was a terrible best friend, he knew, but he didn't need it rubbed in his face every two seconds, dammit.

"So, I suppose it's my turn to say this to you: stay away from Lucy," Galahad ordered.

That snapped Natsu right out of his self-loathing. He couldn't stop himself from letting fire catch in his hands, snapping and hissing threateningly. It was quickly smothered, though, by sheer will alone. "What? What did you just say?" His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, but it was the look on his face that would have given any passerbies cold shivers. His face was tight, the muscles in his cheeks twitching from excess strain, and a vein pulsed in the side of his neck.

Galahad, though, continued acting the unimpressed spectator and said, "I told you. Stay away from Lucy. Clearly, you can't protect her—you're no longer qualified. She needs someone who knows her well in order to make her feel comfortable."

Each word was like an individual blow to Natsu's stomach, and by the end, he found it hard to breathe. It seemed as though the air was becoming thinner and thinner; he struggled to breathe properly and hold himself in check. Natsu ground his teeth against the sudden nausea that washed over him, completely overpowering in its strength.

"I'm her best friend, there's no one who knows her better than I do…" His argument was weak, even to his own ears.

"Her best friend? You don't understand anything at all, do you? She doesn't see you as her best friend, Natsu Dragneel." She saw him as something more than that, and it always left a sharp sting in Galahad's heart whenever he thought about it. Because with everything that he'd done—ignoring her, avoiding her—Natsu Dragneel did not deserve those affections. Not at all. "While you've been away, I've been the one to comfort her. If anything, I am her best friend."

That was the last straw for Natsu, and he leapt across the few feet that separated the two of them. His calloused, scarred hands snatched the edge of Galahad's coat, fingers digging into the material. "Stop talking as if you know her so well. You act like she's yours…" His face contorted at this, mouth twisting into a grimace. He yanked roughly and brought their faces closer together so he could sneer, "Well, she's not yours!"

"You're right. She's not mine. Not yet, at least…" Green eyes glittered as if they held deep, dark secrets that no one else was aware of. Natsu felt himself squirming from the intensity of his opponent's stare. His palms were sweating, making his grip on Galahad's coat loosen just a fraction. And that was all Galahad needed. "Would you like to know?" he asked, as if he knew that Natsu dreaded the secrets those eyes held. "Would you like to know the plans I have for Lucy and I? For our…_family?_"

Natsu's throat was suddenly all too dry. "…Family?"

"_Then, what would you do it that baby were _mine?_"_

Galahad's jacket slipped through his fingers and he stumbled backwards, feeling ill. He'd written that off as nothing more than surly words, meant to rouse his anger. But deep down…he supposed he'd known that they were said with intent.

"_And if I'm not joking?"_

Mavis, he felt like he was choking on nothing but air. Air, which suddenly, seemed far too scarce and stale.

"Do you get the picture now?" Galahad's voice was filled with a sickening amount of pride. "You're time was over the moment I arrived, Natsu Dragneel, and it's nobody's fault but your own. You had your chances—plenty of them. Too many, if you're asking for my opinion – "

"Shut up," Natsu snapped.

Galahad blinked, as if shocked.

The dragonslayer before him was raging anew, anger producing flames that seemed wild and uncontrollable and fierce. Determination blazed in his eyes. And it was then that Galahad realized that he hadn't broken Natsu—just made him very, very angry. Which, he knew, was not a wise thing to do. He knew that Natsu had quite the reputation.

"Talking all big, as if you own the whole damn world…" the fire mage muttered. "Just, shut up."

Without warning, Natsu jumped and aimed a perfectly cocked fist for Galahad's face. And this time, they both knew that there was no chance of evasion. Natsu's fist would collide—flames and all—with Galahad's too perfect face, and the damage wouldn't be nearly enough to satiate the dragonslayer. White fire was pulsing through his veins, thrumming, giving him the power he needed to vent his frustration and his anger.

And yet, Natsu was forced to skid to a halt—his fist mere millimeters from what should have been Galahad's nose. But it wasn't. Instead, his big, threatening, fist was perched just above a sweet, innocent, soft face he knew too well. Big, liquidy brown eyes stared up at him in what appeared to be astonishment, blinking away unshed tears, and pale cheeks flushed with fear. Pinks lips opened in morbid surprise, a soft, soft whimper coming from them.

_Lucy…_

But it wasn't Lucy. It was Galahad, using Lucy's face.

A nasty, dirty trick that hit home to Natsu, who jumped back as though he'd been scalded. It was just an illusion, he tried to tell himself, but the longer he looked…the harder he found it to believe that it was just an illusion.

She looked like Lucy. Her angel-like face, wide, almond-shaped eyes, plump lips and flushed cheeks. Blonde hair framed her face like a halo, and her small hands travelled down to rest over her…softly bulging stomach.

He felt sick again. Mavis, he'd been about to _hit_ Lucy. He'd come so close to hitting her…

No! It wasn't her! It was just an illusion!

Then, those luscious lips of her parted. "…_Natsu_…" And she said his name with such fear and sadness that his knees almost buckled.

Galahad, that bastard, had even gone so far as to steal her _voice_… That sweet, sweet voice that played in his dreams every once in a while. It was so realistic and accurate that Natsu actually did fall to his knees this time, utterly helpless at the sight before him. He couldn't fight Lucy—illusion or reality. Seeing her face contort in pain…he wouldn't be able to handle it, because he'd seen that face. Far too often for his liking. And he'd vowed to make sure that she never made such faces again under his watch. He couldn't, just couldn't, be the cause of them…

"Driven to your knees because of an illusion… I thought you were better than that," Galahad's voice sneered down.

Natsu blinked up to see that Lucy's body was still standing just in front of him. But Galahad's voice was coming from her mouth, and it was just _wrong_…

"I was right. You don't deserve to be her guardian. Stay away from Lucy, Natsu Dragneel…"

With that, Galahad walked away, still using Lucy's body and leaving Natsu feelings cold and hollow inside as he stared weakly after him.

Was Galahad right after all? Maybe he wasn't suited to look after Lucy any longer…

* * *

**_Oh boy... It's hard to see with all this testosterone in the air! Natsu and Galahad fighting over Lucy's affections! Next time! Chapter 32: The Distance_**

**_KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:_**_ Kira, minty30, IlovemyDinosaur56, KillumeP, Lenn, mysticalpheonix-avalon, Ryujin65, LadyRosalie29, Eve, Cookie, Guest, PameliaCauas, NaLu, Maria, 002Dark1, AnyaLee92, DD42, Cat Goliath, LSoutjette, Creativity at its best, Tiger90991, SrngDrgn, lizzysakura21, kuteluver, nessa, Nate, Caeltih, Team D0bby, TabsTeam, koori no hime, Sinares, Tacokiss, SubtleJoy, KawaiiOdango, LivelyLadyBlackThorn, Moronandhersis, mrs zala, lil whit, GuiltyCrown09, Animeraaww, KHLostEmpress, xXShadowDragonSlayerXx, Dyeni, nataliepalumbo, amkhe, missejb, Guest, leoslady4ever, Guest, Catwho, theformulaofpudding, Professor Nebilim, The Keeper of Worlds, SunsetRika, Claudiaaa8D, marbear2795, maglin, Kohryu, LuvlyLadyLexi, Danny Phantom Fan1, Guest, TheCookieMonster77, KanaeHitomi_

**_I love all of you so much! You guys really don't know how much each review means to me. Truly. Even though some of you might think what you have to say is annoying or insignificant, I love to hear from you! So long as it isn't flames, because flames aren't nice :)_**

**_ALSO. ATTENTION. I AM CONTEMPLATING MAKING THIS A BI-WEEKLY UPDATE. DO NOT PANIC, I HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION YET. _**

**_Though I am thinking about it. Have no fear, though, because there is no way in hell that I'm abandoning this story. A lot of you seem to think that I'll abandon it at some point...but, I won't. You have my word._**

**_Now...review my lovelies?_**


	32. The Distance

_**Okay what was up with the no NaLu the past 6 frickin chapters? Gah! My hopes were so high! But, oh, well. There's bound to be something in the future, ne? We just have to wait for it. And it'll be that much sweeter the more we wait. I hope. Hahah. Anywayyyyyy. So, yep. Don't have much to say this time... huh.**_

_**Special shout out to** Sinares **for being the 1,300th reviewer! **(Psst, doesn't that make two for you now, Sinares? ehehe)  
_

_**Warning: angst and self-pity ahead as well as an emotional pregnant woman.**_

* * *

_**Adherence**_

_**o0o**_

_**The Distance**_

* * *

"According to the rumors, Heartfilia-san, you're currently expecting your first child. How valid is that statement?"

Lucy squirmed in her seat, the cushion feeling much too soft underneath her, and laughed nervously at the reporter who openly stared at her. She'd been putting this off for weeks now, and Mages Monthly had made it clear that they weren't going to hold off the interview for much longer—much to Lucy's dismay. She'd pleaded with them to possibly hold it off until late spring, when she'd no longer be pregnant, but they'd stubbornly said that waiting for so long would put a dent in their profits and put them behind schedule. So, here she was now, at Mages Monthly's publishing company, being grilled with questions that, obviously, she didn't care to answer.

But, if she refused to answer, then the reporter would no doubt take it as a personal offense and jump at the opportunity to twist her words in the article. Lucy couldn't afford to have that happen. "Well," she mumbled as she looked down at her hands passively, "I… I think my stomach speaks for itself." She smiled as sweetly as she could when she looked back up.

The reporter—a kindred-looking young man, whom, had she not fancied brash, brutish dragonslayers, Lucy supposed she would have found attractive—laughed genuinely and nodded before jotting down her response on his notepad. "I see, well, congratulations!" he replied.

Lucy beamed at him, politely saying, "Thank you," in response.

He cleared his throat then. "According to your profile in Mages Monthly, you're not married." The reporter was looking down at his notepad, squinting, finger running along a few lines. "Has that changed recently?" he asked curiously, looking back up with an expectant gleam in his eyes.

Lucy squirmed again. Another question she wasn't comfortable with. Undoubtedly, people would not easily come to terms with the fact that she was having a child before getting married—it was considered a bit unethical and immoral. "Um, no," she said, trying to keep her voice firm. "I'm not married."

"Ah, are you planning on getting married?"

"Well, if the future permits…" she trailed off enigmatically, never saying yes or no.

The last thing she needed was for people to think that she was some sort of air-head who slept around without properly thinking of the consequences. Because that was the furthest thing from who she was. And she definitely couldn't go around and announce that she was getting married—there'd be no fooling the public with that one; it wasn't like she could fake a wedding or anything. Keeping it vague seemed like the best option here.

"So, you're seeing someone, then?" Jack, the reporter, was looking at her again with a pleasant smile, his pencil poised to jot down her answer. He was nice enough, Lucy thought absent-mindedly, but it didn't change the fact that he was a bit nosy. Then again, she supposed all reporters were a bit nosy…it was part of the curriculum.

"I'm seeing someone," she lied quickly in confirmation. Again; she had to lie again. After all of this was done and over with, Lucy silently swore to herself that she would take up a vow of honesty—no lying for at least one full year.

Jack, his eyes bright, nodded and scribbled something down. "The baby-daddy, I presume?"

"Uh, um, yes," the blonde stuttered, not exactly prepared for a question like that. _Baby-daddy_, he'd said, like she was some sort of prostitute… For the first time since entering the building and sitting down with him, Lucy felt a small spark of irritation towards Jack.

"And does he have a name?"

"Well, he does, I promise," she said, hoping to be friendly and appear open to the subject even though she most certainly wasn't, "but we've decided to keep his name in the dark for now; strictly for privacy reasons. Things are getting complicated now and we really just want some peace and quiet when we're together. We'll be officially announcing our relationship after the baby is born."

Really, it was beginning to worry her how _quickly_ she was able to come up with a full story. And a believable one at that.

"I see, I see," Jack murmured, hand frantically scribbling on his notepad. "I can understand that. Being a member of the most famous guild in Fiore can be a bit taxing, no? I couldn't imagine starting a family when you're practically a celebrity in the world of mages—and at your age, too." Again, he was just trying to be friendly—Lucy could tell, she was actually fairly good at reading people—but his comments were coming off a little more snobbish than he'd probably intended. "Was that part of your plan? Having children so young?"

Lucy laughed nervously, hoping to the high heavens that Jack didn't pick up on her anxiety. "Ah, no, not really. It wasn't planned at all—it was such a huge shock!" At least she wasn't lying about that part.

He grinned back at her, finding her amusing. "I bet. And since you're so young, you have your parents to rely on, which is a good thing. Are they supportive of you?"

She shook her head with a tepid, half-smile. "My parents both passed away a while ago. And his parents," she said, hoping that Jack knew she was referring to the _baby-daddy_, as he'd put it, "well, he was adopted. His adoptive father was all he had, and he went missing many years ago."

Jack's face actually belied genuine concern and he nodded sympathetically. "I see… So the two of you are on your own in this."

"I wouldn't say that we're on our own," Lucy murmured, her eyes brightening. "We have our guild."

"_Our guild_, you say? So he is a member of Fairy Tail as well?"

Lucy's muscles stiffened and she wanted nothing more than to slap herself. Instead, she settled for biting her tongue and silently cursing her stupidity. And here she'd been so careful! Jack was keen, she noticed, for picking up on the one, measly slipup.

The celestial mage did her best to unclench her teeth and smile charmingly when she answered. "…Yes. He is."

"I suppose that makes sense. After all, it's difficult to be in a relationship with someone of another guild. Though, I obviously don't speak from experience as I've never been made a member of a guild."

"It is," Lucy replied, thinking back to the numerous times when Cana had been dating a non-Fairy Tail member. It'd never ended well for the brunette, unfortunately, but that never stopped her. "We're very lucky."

"On another note," Jack continued, leaving behind the topic of fathers, much to Lucy's relief, "how has this affected your teammates? Do you still go out on missions with them? Or have they forced you to stay home and rest?"

"Before I realized I was pregnant," and Lucy's stomach tightened at the word—it almost didn't feel right when she was saying it publically, "I had a bout of magic deficiency, so I've been told to hold off using magic until after the baby is born. I've been taken off the roster now and I'm on strict bed rest." She had a hard time resisting a frown—bed rest was not something she did well, after all. It involved sitting still, for hours on end, with nothing to do other than read.

She'd done plenty of that these past few months. Magazine after magazine, novel after novel.

"Has it come between any of your relations?" he asked curiously.

"Pardon?"

"Ah, forgive me if I was too abrupt," he apologized quickly, a sheepish look in his eyes. Jack cleared his throat and rephrased his question. "Sometimes, a child can drive a wedge between two people who were originally very close. I've seen it happen myself—best friends are the more likely cases, unfortunately. I hope it hasn't happened to you…"

"_Lu-chan, Natsu declined the offer…"_

"Oh, um…" she stammered, blinking rapidly. Light brown eyes darkened, solemnity in their depths, and her full, angel-like mouth pursed into a pale, thin line. She could taste the berry lip gloss that she'd coated on heavily just a few minutes before, and while usually it put her in a more amiable mood, it only made her want to cry.

"_What…? He didn't…?"_

"_He didn't give a reason why, just said that he wouldn't be able to do it. I'm sorry, Lu-chan… But, Galahad has offered to take his place."_

"…_No, that's not such a good idea…"_

"…_I agree… Juvia is the next in line. She's more than willing."_

_Best friends are the more likely causes,_ he'd said… If only he realized how true that statement was. Three weeks ago, she'd been attacked in her own apartment. Three weeks ago, she'd requested for Natsu to stay with her as her guard. And three weeks ago, he'd declined her invitation. To say that it'd felt like a stab to her heart would have been an understatement—it'd felt more like a poison-dipped javelin that worked slowly, but surely. What was worse; she'd actually been planning on telling him the _big secret_ when they'd had time alone. Not only had he ripped her heart in half, he'd also destroyed any plans of telling him the truth.

"No…" Lucy murmured, looking down at her hands. Her voice was soft, low, and Jack leaned forward in his chair to catch it. "It hasn't."

_Liar_.

o0o

Warm, golden light poured from between the clouds that dotted Magnolia's winter sky. Despite the sunny feeling that the light gave off, the chill in the wind was unmistakable and unchangeable. Children ran through the streets, bundled up to their noses, which stuck out like little red cherries, with scarves, mittens and puffy coats. Even though it was winter, Magnolia was still just as busy as ever. Chimes sounded as shop doors were opened and closed, dogs barked as they dashed across the pavement, and those excitable children squealed as they pranced about.

It was only natural for Lucy to stick out. And she really did, like an elephant in a herd of goats. She was the only one in the town square who was standing there and doing nothing. Nothing at all. People stopped and stared for a second, of course, but they often moved on with a shrug of their shoulders. Some, though, saw the curve to her stomach and fretted for her—asked if she wanted to sit down, or if she was lost, or if she needed help.

Lucy deterred all of their inquiries, however, and sat on the edge of Magnolia's water fountain with the grace of a princess. It was her favorite spot to come to, especially when she was troubled. Perched on the edge of the stone fountain, she would read a book, or write out her feelings. She'd first started the routine shortly after she moved to Magnolia—she'd been dumped and heartbroken. But this place had cheered her up. It always cheered her up. But, this time, she wasn't sure if anything would.

Because every little thing she did, or thought about, or _touched_ for Mavis' sake, reminded her of Natsu. And each time she thought about Natsu, her heart broke just a little bit more. She thought about his smile, the gleam in his eyes when he was excited, the way his brows would crease when he was confused or frustrated. She thought about his voice—warm, cheerful, with just enough timbre to make her shiver. She thought about how he felt; his rough but sensationally warm skin, the rock-like muscles that rested beneath, and his tapered, calloused fingers.

…She missed him. All of him. Even his brash personality—which, most of the time, she swore she could do without. But, she really did miss him…

Just when they'd been back on friendly terms. Just when she'd thought that she could break the news to him. Just when she'd all but conquered her fear of his rejection.

"_Lu-chan, Natsu declined the offer…"_

Somewhere deep in her heart, she supposed she had no room to be feeling angry and betrayed. After all, if she hadn't lied in the first place none of this would have happened. If only she hadn't been embarrassed, if only she hadn't acted so brashly, if only she'd told the truth back then… Maybe, just _maybe_, things would be different now. Maybe, he would have accepted the fact that they'd started a mating ritual. Maybe he would have accepted the fact that he was about to be a father. Maybe he would have accepted _her_.

_Maybe. If only._

But, these were past decisions of hers. Nothing she could say or do would be able to change what she'd done in the past. The past was in the past; and that was where it would stay. Or, that was supposed to be the saying, anyway… Lately, it seemed as though no matter how badly she wanted to leave the past behind, it would undoubtedly catch up with her.

Sooner or later, Lucy was sure that she was going to drown in a sea of lies, and then suffocate from the pressure of the secrets she was keeping… What she needed right now, more than anything, was an escape… An escape of any kind, really. So long as it permitted her with a moment of peace. A moment where she didn't spend her time regretting what she could not change. A moment where she could breathe.

Lucy's eyes lit up and her spine straightened. But, she _did_ have an escape. Right in her purse… She'd almost forgotten about it. Thankfully, Levy's strange habit of always carrying some sort of reading material had been instilled into her, and Lucy couldn't have been more grateful for that right now. Even if all she had was a sappy romance that would sooner giver her cavities from its sheer sweetness than anything else.

A wan smile on her face, Lucy dug the crinkled book from her purse and flipped to the page she'd bookmarked earlier.

"_Oh…are you sure? I mean, I can reschedule it if you want…"_

"_No," his voice came from over the phone, "that's alright. You go on ahead. I've got some things to take care of here. Got loaded with a bunch of last-minute work that needs to be finished as soon as possible."_

_Amelia frowned, her hand tightening around the phone cord. "But going alone just wouldn't…" She stopped herself, chewing on her bottom lip and closing her eyes before opening them. She didn't know how to say what she wanted without coming off as too whiny and clingy. The last thing she wanted was for him to think of her as a child._

"_Just wouldn't what?" he prompted, sounding distant and distracted, even through the phone line. She could tell that he was going through papers, even without the faint rustling in the background. _

_Amelia sighed resignedly and closed her eyes again. "No, it's nothing…"_

"_Ah, you sure?" His question was mumbled into the receiver, followed by a bang and a swift curse. He'd dropped something, probably. His desk was always so cluttered, it was a wonder he got anything done._

"_Yes, I'm sure. Just…promise me you won't stay too late? I don't like it when you drive home in the pitch black…"_

"_Mmm, yeah. Promise," he muttered, even though he more than likely had no idea what she'd just said to him. Amelia seriously doubted that he would be able to recite back to her what she'd asked, not even the first three words. _

_The thought broke her heart. "…And, Rin?" she said, her tone full of hope. "…I love you. So much." Her voice cracked softly, even though she was whispering into the phone now._

_Finally, she heard the papers in the background stop ruffling and his voice spoke directly into the phone, "I love you too, Amelia." He was clear, and honest, and unbridled. And all Amelia wished for at that moment was for him to sound like that all day—like he was giving her his full attention all day, every day. No restraints, nothing holding him back. Not work. Not even himself. "Don't wait up for me, alright?"_

"_Okay…"_

"_Goodnight."_

"_Mmm, goodnight…"_

_Amelia hung the phone back up and barley held back a sniffle. Her eyes burned. He'd been doing this all week long. All she wanted was for the two of them to have a nice dinner together, and every night, something else got in the way, and every night, she had to reschedule. She was tired of it! One night. She just wanted one night for the two of them. Sure, he'd said that he would be busy after they got married, but she'd never once thought that he would be so busy that he'd blow her off for an entire week._

_She couldn't stop the hiccup that came forth. Nor the tears that followed suite._

"_Oh, this isn't fair," she sobbed into her hands, trying not to smear her makeup. "Why does he have to be so busy all the time? Why can't it be how it was when we were dating? He always had time for me, even if he had to make time… When did the distance between the two of us get so large?"_

_Crying, her shoulders shaking, Amelia trudged up to their bedroom and—_

A wet spot dotted the faded paper, warping the ink beneath Lucy's fingertips. She blinked, and another drop fell, this time on the back of her hand. She was crying. Again. A sour scoff tried to tear from her throat, but, it came out as more of the sound a drowning cat would make. Mavis, she was so pitiful. She'd always been an emotional person—a trait she'd received from her mother, no doubt—but there had hardly been an instance where she'd cried over a book. Sure, they sometimes made her angry or sad, but never to the point where she shed genuine tears.

"Oh, damn it all…" Lucy cursed under her breath, using her thumb to wipe underneath her eyes.

These damn hormones were getting the better of her. And to be honest, Lucy was getting sick of it. Why, just recently, she'd bawled her eyes out after witnessing a dog play fetch with his master in the park. It seemed as though she burst into tears at the drop of a hat now. That couldn't be normal, no matter what Bisca said.

Lucy sat there, bitterly wiping her tears away and still trying to concentrate on her book. She _would_ finish it. It was a book that Levy had recommended, after all—a story about what happens after the happily-ever-after. And it was supposed to have a good ending, if only she could get past all of the angst and self-pitying of the main character. Angst and self-pitying that reminder her so much of herself. Ah, maybe that was why she'd started crying—maybe Amelia and Rin reminded her of Natsu and herself. Two people, originally very close, and then all of the sudden…find themselves drifting apart.

Now that she was looking for it, the resemblance was uncanny. The distance between the two of them now...

Lucy blinked her newly-blurry eyes at the shadow that now blocked the sunset light from shining on her book. Irritation swept through her first—because, _hello_, she was trying to read—but the shadow almost seemed familiar to her, the outline of muscle, the set of the shoulders. And her breath caught in her throat.

_Natsu—_

But when she looked up with hope and longing in her gaze, she found that it wasn't Natsu at all. Just Galahad. Galahad, looking as prim and as perfect as ever.

The mistake was almost crushing; disappointment made her physically deflate on her perch, her shoulders slumping. Another fresh batch of tears rolled down her flushed cheeks, and Lucy huffed, annoyed with herself. She looked absolutely dreadful, she knew. After being out all day—which she wasn't supposed to do without being accompanied by a guardian; namely Juvia—and succumbing to her hormones, her hair was disheveled, her makeup was smeared, and her shoes were laced with mud. And it wouldn't have surprised her if people were staring.

It wasn't every day that a pregnant woman sat on the edge of Magnolia's fountain and cried like a small child.

Lucy's throat was thick when she demanded, "What?" She didn't look at him, though; for fear that she would find something in his eyes that would just make her loathe herself even more: pity.

Instead of replying, he simply sat next to her and crossed his arms.

Lucy couldn't resist—she peeked at him out of the corner of her eyes. He was dressed in his usual clothes—white undershirt, sleeveless overcoat with a fur-lined hood and black cargo pants. He should have been cold, or at least had gooseflesh, but he didn't so much as shiver, not even when a breeze flittered by. He managed to look perfect by just sitting there, cool green eyes fixed on the horizon.

Finally, he unlocked his jaw. "Juvia-san is worried about you. She sent out a team to look for you after you left."

She said nothing to that.

Galahad sighed, as though he'd expected such a response—or rather, the lack of one. He supposed he had; after all, she only acted so distant when she was thinking of a certain someone. His hands tightened to fists. "It's because of him, isn't it?"

Lucy flinched. Was she really that easy to read? She'd always been told that she was as open as a spread book, but she'd never thought that someone would be able to simply guess what was on her mind. Galahad, though, seemed to have a strange habit of doing just that. She supposed that it should have irked her—with him being right all the time—and yet it didn't. Maybe it was because a part of her found it nice that he was able to know her concerns without her having to voice them.

So, Lucy let herself go. Choked hiccups burst forth from her mouth, and she tried to stifle them with her hands out of sheer modesty. "It's all my fault… If I hadn't lied to him, maybe, I don't know… I wanted to tell him, really, but then all of the sudden he just took off, and he hasn't said a word to me, and I just… I miss him," she admitted shamelessly. Vaguely, she realized that she was beginning to ramble, but it was too late to stop now. "And I shouldn't, because, like I said, this is all my fault. I chose this, because I was stupid and I didn't trust him even though he's my best friend. He probably doesn't even think I'm his best friend anymore, does he? Maybe that's way he took off…maybe he just doesn't want to see me anymore…"

Next to her, Galahad tensed. His eyes hardened, like flints of jade. "…Maybe," he muttered, wrapping an arm around Lucy's shaking shoulders. "Who knows what he's thinking…" It was said with vehemence.

Galahad closed his eyes. Yes. Natsu Dragneel was ignorant and oblivious to the beautiful woman who was obviously enamored with him. It was such a waste and so very unfair. And it only served to strengthen the illusionist's intense distaste for the fire dragonslayer. It only further absolved his decision to rid Fiore of said fire dragonslayer once and for all.

Because, then, everyone would be happy. Everything would be alright.

If only Natsu Dragneel didn't exist.

* * *

**Uh oh... What's Galahad planning now? Next time! Chapter 33: The Confrontation. Finally, Natsu approaches Lucy...?  
**

**KUDOS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:**_ LunnarChild, MnMs98, Alice Harkey, ashlieswifty, Frustrated Fan, guest, pageoflight, Grr, Celtika82, petitebeast, amkhe, Cat Goliath, IndestructableLove, StarKiss666, shineynaepenguin, nessa, alldaylong, Animefun17, LinkWarriorInGreen, NaLu, Unspokenheard, kristiepits, silverashtrees, mysticalpheonix-avalon, Guest, missejb, Igneel, Kate, xNightDreamerx, Whip and Fangs, maglin, DeathBerryHime, 002Dark1, Team D0bby, NALU-4-EVER-12, Professor Nebilim, mrs zala, wheathermangohanssj4, xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx, kaykay, Sinares, Jade Eyed, koori no hime, DD42, The Bewitched, Collaborative Lady, KHLostEmpress, Anya Lee92, Wasabi-kun, rini24, Pissy Panda, Danny Phantom Fan1, Kira, Tacokiss, guest, walkthemoon17, Guest, raydark182, SrngDrgn, hundefrau, TabsTeam, Kohryu, Pikas, BlackasEbony, TheCookieMonster77, KawaiiOdango, Animeraaww, TVfreak7, Sora-Hyouryuu, AlchemicGoddess15, Catwho, iLikeCookies12, LuvlyLadyLexi, GuiltyCrown09, Ryujin65, natsu, The Keeper of Worlds_

_So I've gotten some reviews lately that are on the negative side. I wouldn't consider them flames, but they aren't exactly concrit either. So, I'm just putting this out there: I KNOW that this story is slow-paced, and I know that I'm not perfect. I'm just glad I've gotten this far. This is the farthest I've ever gone with a story (this is only my second multi-chap, if you didn't know) and I'm still working on putting together my "plotting skills" (tying up loose ends, keeping someone in character for so long, the actual writing itself, is so hard). So, I understand if you think reading this fic is getting tiring, I really do. All I can tell you is that the waiting pays off BIG TIME in the next 10 chapters. So, I don't know if you're reading this note here, if you consider this fic underdeveloped and "going in circles" but, just keep that in mind, okay? :)_

_**Igneel:**__ Well, I've written about 13 or so chapters ahead (currently at chapter 45ish) and it's not over yet. I don't __know, exactly, the chapter number, but I'm thinking around 50 or so...which is so long! Later, I might go back and combine some of the chapters to make it a but shorter, but, who knows... Anyway, that's my rough estimate! Hope this helps :)_

_Also, I think we had a few misunderstandings about the meaning of bi-weekly, so I'm going to clarify. Bi-weekly means updating once every two weeks (ugh, *shudder*, I know, I hate it too) **not** updating twice a week. I **wish** it meant updating twice a week. :3_

**Anyway, now that that's all said and done with! Review? Hopefully you can get past Lu-chan's angst ehehe...  
**


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